Passenger protecting apparatus

ABSTRACT

A passenger protecting apparatus that prevents a submarine phenomenon of the passenger by the use of an air belt, or that can protect the passenger by applying a pretension to the webbing. The apparatus includes a seat cushion that includes a seat pad, and an air belt disposed under the seat pad. The air belt includes a buckle and a lap anchor. The rear end on the right and the left of the air belt are connected to the buckle and the lap anchor via a wire respectively. Upon collision, the air belt is inflated and the front portion of the seat pad is pushed up so that a submarine phenomenon is prevented and the buckle and the lap anchor are pulled down.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a passenger protecting apparatus forprotecting a passenger sitting on the seat of the vehicle such as anautomotive vehicle in the event of a collision.

Various types of air bag apparatuses, air belt apparatuses, or aircurtain apparatuses have been developed as systems to protect passengersin the automotive vehicle in the event of a collision.

An apparatus has been proposed for raising the front portion of the seatcushion upon collision of the vehicle in order to prevent a submarinephenomenon where the passenger is squeezed out through the lap beltdownwardly in case of a frontal crash even when the passenger is wearingthe seat belt. For example, in Japanese Unexamined Patent ApplicationPublication No. 10-309967, a vehicle seat in which the front end of theseat cushion is adapted to be raised by a cartridge actuator isdisclosed, and in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No.10-217818, a vehicle seat in which the front end of the seat cushion israised by an air bag is disclosed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apassenger protecting apparatus adapted to generate a driving force by anair belt.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention comprises aseat having a seat cushion and a seat back, and means for hardening thefront portion of said seat cushion in the event of emergency of thevehicle, wherein said means is an air belt which decreases in lengthwhen inflated.

In the passenger protecting apparatus, the air belt is preferablydisposed under the seat cushion and is prevented from moving downwardand forward when inflated, and there may be provided a back-up memberfor preventing said air belt from moving downward under the air belt.

In the passenger protecting apparatus in this arrangement, the seatcushion is raised by the inflation of the air belt, or is hardened byapplying a pressure from below to the portion being in contact with theair belt in case of emergency such as a collision of the vehicle or thelike so as to prevent a submarine phenomenon of the passenger.

When a back-up member is disposed under the air belt, a projectionextending upward for positioning the air belt may be provided on theback-up member. In this case, the projection deforms when a pressure inexcess of a prescribed value is applied to said projection by the airbelt so that the forward movement of the air belt is permitted.

In this arrangement, it is assured that the front portion of the seatcushion is pushed up or hardened by the air belt in case of emergency ofthe vehicle, and when the passenger bumped against the front portion ofthe seat cushion with an excess of an impactive force, the base platemoves forward of the seat cushion while deforming the projection inaccordance with the movement of the passenger and absorbs the impactiveforce.

In this passenger protecting apparatus, the air belt may be extended inthe direction of the width of said seat cushion and connected to thestructural member of said seat cushion at both ends thereof.

In this passenger protecting apparatus, the air belt is preferablyprovided with a shock-absorbing mechanism.

In this case, the shock-absorbing mechanism may be a gas outlet forpreventing the internal pressure of the air belt from increasingexcessively by discharging the gas from the air belt when the air beltis inflated (hereinafter such a gas outlet may be referred to as “venthole”), or may be a tear seam formed in such a manner that a part of theair belt is seamed with a thread for reducing the volume of the air beltin the inflated state and the thread is broken and the seamed portion istorn when the internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds aprescribed pressure in order to allow the air belt to increase in volumeand to lower the internal pressure therein. When the gas outlet is usedas a shock-absorbing mechanism, it is also possible to construct in sucha manner that valve means that opens when the gas pressure reaches orexceeds the prescribed value is provided to prevent the gas fromescaping when the air belt is being inflated.

The shock-absorbing mechanism comprises a gas outlet provided on the airbelt, and a tear seam formed by seaming a part of said air belt andclosing said gas outlet, wherein the tear seam is broken so that saidair belt increase in volume and simultaneously said gas outlet is openedto allow the gas to escape when the internal pressure of the air beltreaches or exceeds a prescribed value.

In this arrangement, when the internal pressure of the inflated air beltis not more than the prescribed value, a part of the air belt is beingseamed to form a tear seam and the vent hole is closed. When theinternal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value,since the tear seam is broken to allow the air belt to increase involume and simultaneously to allow the vent hole to open, the internalpressure of the air belt decreases with the increase of the volume ofthe air belt, and a gas is escaped through a vent hole to prevent theinternal pressure of the air belt from excessively increasing.

The shock-absorbing mechanism may be means to limit deployment of theair belt when the internal pressure of the air belt is not more than theprescribed value, and release the limitation and allow the air belt toincrease in volume and decrease in internal pressure accordingly whenthe internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds the prescribedvalue.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention providedwith such a shock-absorbing mechanism, when the passenger bumped againstthe front portion of the seat cushion with a large impactive force whenthe air belt inflated and thus the front portion of the seat cushion israised or hardened, the air belt receives the passenger via said seatcushion. When the air belt is pressurized by the impactive force andthus the internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds aprescribed value, the shock-absorbing mechanism described above isactuated to decrease the internal pressure of the air belt or to preventan excessive increase of the internal pressure of the air belt, therebyabsorbing the impactive force.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention may furthercomprise a seat belt apparatus for restraining the passenger sitting onthe seat and a lowering mechanism for lowering at least one of thebuckle and the lap anchor of said seat belt apparatus in case ofemergency of the vehicle, wherein said lowering mechanism includes anair belt that decreased in length by inflation thereof as a drivingpower source for lowering movement.

In the passenger protecting apparatus described above, a shrinking forceof the air belt can apply a pretension to the seat belt.

In the passenger protecting apparatus including the seat belt apparatus,the end of the air belt and at least one of said buckle and the lapanchor are preferably connected via a linkage. As an alternative to thislinkage, it is also possible that the end of the air belt and at leastone of the buckle and the lap anchor are connected via a rack-and-pinionmechanism, or that the end of the air belt and at least one of saidbuckle and the lap anchor are connected via a linear body.

In the air belt including the seat belt apparatus in which the end ofthe air belt and at least one of the buckle and the lap anchor areconnected, the shrinking force of the air belt is transmitted to thebuckle or the lap anchor by said linkage, the rack-and-pinion, or thelinear body, and thus the buckle or the lap anchor is pulled down,thereby applying a pretension to the seat belt.

When the end of the air belt and at least one of the buckle and the lapanchor are connected via a linear body, the linear body may be aflexible elongated member such as a wire or a rope, or webbing or meshwebbing having one end elongated.

The linear body may be guided by a guide column or the like, or by amember such as a pulley or a roller. It may also be guided by a memberhaving slipping property such as a slip anchor.

In this passenger protecting apparatus, means for transmitting ashrinking force of the air belt to the buckle and the anchor maycomprises a first linear body which is connected at one end to one endof the air belt and the other end to a rotatable body, and a secondlinear body having one end connected to said buckle or the lap anchorand the other end being windable on said rotatable body.

When the air belt and the buckle or the lap anchor are connected in thisarrangement, a rotatable body comprising a pair of rollers coaxiallyconnected so as to rotate integrally is used, the other end of the firstlinear body connected at one end to the air belt is wound onto one ofthe rollers of a rotatable body, and the other end of the second linearbody connected at one end to the buckle or the lap anchor is windablyconnected to the other roller of the rotatable body, so that when theair belt is inflated and decreases in length, one end of said firstlinear body is pulled by the shrinking force of the air belt, and theother end of the first linear body wound on said one of the rollers of arotatable body is unwound from the roller, along with which said roller,in other words, the rotatable body rotates and said other end of thesecond linear body is wound on the other roller, whereby the buckle orthe lap anchor connected to one end of the second linear body is pulleddown, thereby applying a pretension to the seat belt.

In this arrangement as well, the first linear body and the second linearbody maybe flexible elongated members such as wire or rope, and may bewebbing or mesh webbing having one end elongated.

This passenger protection apparatus preferably comprises raising meansfor raising the front portion of the seat cushion in case of emergencyof the vehicle, and the power source of said raising means is an airbelt sheared with the power source for said lowering means. Preferably,a force from the air belt is transmitted to the driven member via aone-way clutch.

The passenger protecting apparatus including the seat belt apparatus asdescribed above may further comprise a power transmission mechanism inwhich the air belt and the buckle or the anchor are connected totransmit a power to the buckle or the anchor preferably comprises ashock-absorbing mechanism which allows the upward movement of the buckleor the lap anchor while applying a drag to said buckle or said lapanchor when an upward force not less than the prescribed value isapplied to said buckle or said lap anchor lowered by the loweringmechanism.

In this case, the shock-absorbing mechanism may be a gas outlet forpreventing the internal pressure from increasing excessively bysupplying a gas from the air belt when the air belt is inflated, or maybe a tear seam constructed in such a manner that the air belt is partlyseamed by a thread for reducing the volume of the air belt in theinflated state, and the thread is broken and seamed portion is torn whenhe internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribedpressure in order to allow the air belt to increase in volume and tolower the internal pressure therein. When the gas outlet is used as ashock-absorbing mechanism, it is also possible to construct in such amanner that valve means that opens when the gas pressure reaches orexceeds the prescribed value is provided to prevent the gas fromescaping when the air belt is being inflated.

The shock-absorbing mechanism comprises a gas outlet provided on the airbelt, and a tear seam formed by seaming a part of said air belt andclosing said gas outlet, wherein the tear seam is broken so that saidair belt increase in volume and simultaneously said gas outlet is openedto allow the gas to escape when the internal pressure of the air beltreaches or exceeds a prescribed value.

In this arrangement, when the internal pressure of the inflated air beltis not more than the prescribed value, a part of the air belt is beingseamed to form a tear seam and the vent hole is closed. When theinternal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value,since the tear seam is torn to allow the air belt to increase in volumeand simultaneously the vent hole is opened, the internal pressure of theair belt decreases with the increase of the volume of the air belt, anda gas is escaped through a vent hole to prevent the internal pressure ofthe air belt from excessively increasing.

The shock-absorbing mechanism may be means to limit deployment of theair belt when the internal pressure of the air belt is mot more than theprescribed value, and release the limitation and allow the air belt toincrease in volume and decrease in internal pressure accordingly whenthe internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds the prescribedvalue.

The passenger protecting apparatus including the seat belt apparatus mayfurther comprise any one of the shock-absorbing mechanisms describedabove and a power transmission mechanism for connecting the air belt andthe buckle or the lap anchor to transmit the power, when the passengerbumped against the seat belt to which a pretension is applied in advanceby the buckle or the lap anchor being pulled down by the air beltshortened as a result of inflation thereof with a large kinetic energy,a large impactive force is applied to the buckle or the lap anchor inthe pulling-up direction. The impactive force thus applied istransmitted to the air belt via said power transmission mechanismconnecting the buckle or the lap anchor and the air belt, elongates theair belt longitudinally and simultaneously contracts the samecircumferentially, thereby increasing the internal pressure of the airbelt abruptly. In this case, when the internal pressure of the air beltreaches or exceeds a prescribed value, the shock-absorbing mechanismdescribed above actuates to decrease the internal pressure or the airbelt or to prevent an excessive increase of the internal pressurethereof so as to allow longitudinal elongation of the air belt with thesuitable internal pressure of the air belt maintained.

Accordingly, the buckle or the lap anchor connected to the air belt canbe moved in the pulling-up direction by the impactive force applied bythe passenger with a suitable drag applied by the internal pressure ofthe air belt, thereby absorbing an impactive force applied by thepassenger and an excessive kinetic energy of the passenger to protectthe passenger.

The passenger protecting apparatus having a power transmission mechanismas described above preferably comprises an shock-absorbing mechanismthat allows the buckle or the lap anchor to move upwardly while applyinga drag to said buckle or the lap anchor when a upward force not lessthan a prescribed value is applied to the power transmission mechanismfor transmitting a power from the air belt to said buckle or the lapanchor.

In this case, as an shock-absorbing mechanism, when the powertransmission mechanism comprises, for example, a linear body thatconnects the air belt and the buckle or the lap anchor so that the powerof the air belt is transmitted to the buckle or the lap anchor via thelinear body. The power transmission mechanism may comprise a guidingmember for guiding a linear body so as to allow the buckle or the lapanchor to move upward while applying a suitable drag by deformation orretraction of the guiding member, and when webbing is used as a linearbody, it is also possible to provide a seamed portion by seaming a partof said webbing with another part thereof with a thread to shorten thelength thereof, so that an impact is absorbed by increasing the lengthof the webbing by tearing the seamed portion to allow the upwardmovement of the buckle or the lap anchor.

In this passenger protecting apparatus, when the power transmissionmechanism is constructed in such a manner that the power of the air beltis transmitted to the buckle or the lap anchor via the rotatable body asshown in FIG. 20, the shock-absorbing mechanism may be provided with atorsion bar as an axis of rotation of the rotatable body, so that animpact is absorbed by alleviating winding of the second linear bodyconnected to said buckle or the lamp anchor by torsion of the torsionbar to allow the buckle or the lap anchor to move upward while applyinga suitable drag thereto.

The shock-absorbing mechanism may comprise, as a power transmissionmechanism, a first linear body connected to the air belt, a secondlinear body connected to said buckle or lap anchor, and a connectingmember for connecting said first linear body and the second linear body,wherein deformation of said connecting member allows the buckle or thelap anchor to move upward while applying a suitable drag so as to absorbthe impact, and when the power transmission mechanism is formed of alinear body provided between the buckle or the lap anchor and the airbelt, there may be provided a connecting member connecting said linearbody to said buckle or the lap anchor or the air belt at one end of thelinear body, so that deformation of the connecting member allows thebuckle or the lap anchor to move upward while applying a suitable drag,thereby absorbing the impact.

In the passenger protecting apparatus having such an shock-absorbingmechanism, the power transmission mechanism comprises a wire connectedto said shock-absorbing mechanism at one end and engaged with saidbuckle or the lap anchor or the air belt at a midpoint for transmittinga power.

In the passenger protecting apparatus comprising said shock-absorbingmechanism, when the passenger bumped with a large impactive forceagainst the seat belt applied with a pretension by the buckle or the lapanchor being pulled down, the impactive force is absorbed by saidshock-absorbing mechanism and thus the passenger is protected.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, the airbelt is preferably extending diagonally along the fore-and-aft directionof the seat cushion.

In this case, the air belt may be oriented so that one end of the airbelt is located at the front portion of one side of the seat cushion andthe other end is located at the rear portion of the other side of theseat cushion for example, or the first and the second air belts aredisposed in such a manner that one end of the respective first andsecond air belts are located at the midway of the front side of the seatcushion extending between the left and the right, the other end of thefirst air belt is located on the left side at the rear, and the otherend of the second air belt is located on the right side at the rear ofthe seat cushion.

The end of the air belt disposed at the rear side of the seat cushionmay be connected directly with at least one of the buckle and the lapanchor of said seat belt apparatus. In this arrangement, when the airbelt is inflated and decreased in length, the end of the air beltconnected to the buckle or the lap anchor is pulled toward said end ofthe air belt disposed on the front portion of the seat cushion, and thebuckle or the lap anchor is directly pulled down by its shrinking force,thereby applying a pretension to the seat belt and minimizing the lossof transmission occurred when the shrinking force of the air belt istransmitted as a pulling down force of the buckle or the lap anchor.

In this case as well, there is preferably provided a raising means forraising the front portion of the seat cushion in case of emergency ofthe vehicle, and a power source is an air belt shared with the saidlowering means. A force from the air belt is preferably transmitted tothe driven member via a one-way clutch.

In an alternative embodiment, the passenger protecting apparatus of thepresent invention is a passenger protecting apparatus comprising a seatincluding a seat cushion and a seat back, and a hardening means forhardening the front portion of said seat cushion in case of emergency ofthe vehicle, wherein said hardening means is a bag body containing amagnetic fluid, and includes an energizing means for hardening saidmagnetic fluid by passing a current in said magnetic fluid.

In the passenger protecting means, the energizing means may pass acurrent in the magnetic fluid contained in said bag body located in thefront portion of the seat in case of emergency such as a collision ofthe vehicle to harden the magnetic fluid. Accordingly, the front portionof the seat cushion is hardened, thereby preventing a submarinephenomenon of the passenger. When no current is passing through themagnetic fluid, the magnetic fluid freely flows in said bag body as amatter of course so that the passenger can sit on the seat withouthaving a feeling of discomfort in the normal state other than theemergency state.

In the passenger protecting apparatus, the bag body is preferablydisposed in said seat cushion and is prevented from moving downward,there may be provided a back-up member for preventing the downwardmovement of the bag body under the bag body.

When the back-up member is disposed under the bag body, a projectionextending upward for positioning the bag body may be provided on theback-up member. In this case, the projection deforms when a pressure inexcess of a prescribed value is applied to said projection by the bagbody so that the forward movement of the bag body is permitted.

In this arrangement, in case of emergency of the vehicle, it is assuredthat the magnetic fluid contained in the bag body is hardened in thefront portion of the seat cushion so that a submarine phenomenon of thepassenger is prevented, and when the passenger bumped against the frontportion of the seat cushion with an excess of impactive force, the bagbody moves forward of the seat cushion while deforming the projection inaccordance with the movement of the passenger and absorbs the impactiveforce.

In the passenger protecting apparatus, said bag body may be extended inthe direction of the width of said seat cushion and connected to thestructural member of said seat cushion at both ends thereof.

In another alternative embodiment, the passenger protecting apparatus ofthe present invention comprises a seat including a seat cushion and aseat back, and means for forming a sleeve wall on the side of said seatcushion in case of emergency of the vehicle, wherein said meanscomprises an air belt disposed so as to connect said seat cushion andthe seat back, and said air belt decreases in length when the air beltis inflated, whereby said air belt is routed between the seat cushionand the seat back so as to form said sleeve wall.

In this case, said air belt may be disposed between the front end of theplate and the seat back so that the air belt forms a sleeve wall alongthe side of the seat when said air belt is inflated.

Said means is preferably disposed on the side portion of the seatcushion and on the side portion of the seat back, and provided with anupwardly rotatable plate on its front side, so that a rotating torque isapplied to said plate by the length-reducing force of said air belt.

It is also possible to construct in such a manner that at least one ofthe members of the buckle and the lap anchor of the seat belt and saidplate is interlocked so that at least one of said buckle and said lapanchor moves downwardly when said plate is rotated with the front endthereof moved upward.

In a further alternative embodiment, the passenger protecting apparatusof the present invention comprises an air belt, wherein said air belt isdisposed on the lower portion of the back side of the seat so that itfunctions as a bag for protecting the lower half of the passenger's bodyincluding the knees sitting on the seat located in the rear of saidseat.

In this case, it is also possible to construct in such a manner that atleast one of the members of the buckle and the lap anchor of the seatbelt and said air belt are interlocked, so that one of the members ofsaid buckle and lap anchor moves downward when said air belt is inflatedand the length thereof is reduced. In this case, the plate and saidmember are preferably interlocked via the one-way clutch so that theupward movement of said member is prevented by said one-way clutch.

In yet another alternative embodiment, the passenger protectingapparatus of the present invention comprises a seat having a seatcushion, seat back and a headrest, and means for moving said headrestfrontward and diagonally upward in case of emergency of the vehicle,wherein said means comprises an air belt that is shortened when inflatedas a power source for moving the headrest.

In the passenger protecting apparatus, the headrest supports the head ofthe passenger when the vehicle is bumped from the rear, so that aninjury such as whiplash can be prevented.

In this case, the air belt is preferably disposed on the upper portionof the seat cushion so that the air belt is inflated so that thedistance between the seat cushion and the passenger is reduced.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention comprises anair belt for protecting the passenger sitting on the rear seat is routedbetween the left and right B pillar of the vehicle.

According to the passenger protecting apparatus as described above, theair belt can apply a pretension to the seat belt and prevents thepassenger or the baggage on the rear seat from jumping forward wheninflated.

In this case, the passenger protecting apparatus comprises a seat beltfor protecting the passenger sitting on the seat, and said air belt canbe provided so as to tow the shoulder anchor of said seat beltapparatus.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention maycomprises a metal plate that encloses said air belt when said air beltis not inflated, and expands as said air belt expands and contracts anddeforms plastically when the external pressure is applied.

In the passenger protecting apparatus, a submarine phenomenon isprevented and the impact applied to the passenger is absorbed by plasticcontraction and deformation of the expanded and deformed metal plate.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention comprises aone-way clutch.

In this passenger protecting apparatus, decrease of tractive force ofthe air belt with decreasing of the expansive force thereof may besupplemented.

The passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention comprises ashock absorbing means elongating so that the upper limit of the tensilestrength is maintained constant.

According to the passenger protecting apparatus as described above, theload applied to the passenger may be maintained constant.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, a gasexhaust port of the inflator is preferably inserted into the air beltfrom one end thereof, and a flange member is preferably provided on therear end of the inflator projecting from the air belt, and fixed on theside frame of the seat. In this arrangement, there is preferablyprovided a gas guide member for changing the direction of gas injectedfrom the inflator into the direction longitudinally of the air belt onthe tip side of the inflator.

According to the passenger protecting apparatus in this arrangement,since one end of the air belt is stable fixed to the side panel of theseat, and the other end of the air belt is positively attracted towardsaid one end when the length of the air belt is reduced upon inflationof the air belt, it is suitable as a power source for the lowering meansfor lowering the buckle and the lap anchor of said seat belt apparatus.

In this case, the other side of the air belt may be fixed on the otherside frame.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, theinflator may be fixed on the side frame of the seat and a tubular gasduct is provided so that a gas from said inflator to one end of the airbelt, and a flange member is preferably provided on said gas duct andsaid flange member is fixed to the side frame of the seat.

In this arrangement, one end of the air belt is stably fixed to the sidepanel of the seat.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, when theair belt used is wide in width, the air belt may be folded into anarrower width and stored in mesh webbing.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description andthe following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only,and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become apparent from the following description, appendedclaims, and the accompanying exemplary embodiments shown in thedrawings, which are briefly described below.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the seat showing an embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the air belt and the inflator shown inFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the air belt in the state where it isinflated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view showing the structure of FIG.1.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of the air belt shown in FIG. 4, wheninflated.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the seat according to anotherembodiment.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the air belt when inflated in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the structure of a submarinephenomenon preventing plate shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 is a side view when a submarine phenomenon preventing plate shownin FIG. 6 when being inclined.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the air belt and the inflator showinganother embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the air belt of FIG. 10 when inflated.

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line XII—XII in FIG.10.

FIG. 13 is a cross sectional view taken along the line XIII—XIII in FIG.11.

FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view of the portion shown in FIG. 12showing another configuration of the metal plate.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the air belt shown in FIG. 14 wheninflated.

FIG. 16 is a side view of the seat showing the forth embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a side view showing an air belt shown in FIG. 16 wheninflated.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the fifth embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 19 is a front view showing a state in which the headrest shown inFIG. 18 is mounted.

FIG. 20 is a view seen from the direction shown by the arrow XX—XX inFIG. 19.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of the seat according to the sixthembodiment.

FIG. 22 is a perspective view of the principal portion of a passengerprotecting apparatus of another structure according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the seat according to the passengerprotecting apparatus for the passenger protecting apparatus of thepresent invention.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the seat according to still anotherembodiment for the passenger protecting apparatus of the presentinvention.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the principal portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus according to another embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 26 is a schematic cross sectional view showing a structure of thepassenger protecting apparatus shown in FIG. 25.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the seat including a passengerprotecting apparatus according to still another embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the connecting portion between the airbelt and the inflator of FIG. 27, partly cross section.

FIG. 29 is an explode perspective view of the connecting portion betweenthe air belt and an inflator shown in FIG. 28.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the structure in which the mesh webbingconstituting an air belt shown in FIG. 27 is engaged with the sidepanel.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view showing an engaging relation between themesh webbing and the ring member shown in FIG. 30.

FIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view showing an engaging relationbetween the side panel and the inflator shown in FIG. 27.

FIG. 33 is a cross sectional view showing a joint structure of an airbelt and the side panel shown in FIG. 27.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of the seat comprising a passengerprotecting apparatus according to still another embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 35 is a cross sectional view showing a joint structure of the airbelt and the side panel shown in FIG. 34.

FIG. 36 is a cross sectional view showing a joint structure of the airbelt and side panel of the passenger protective apparatus according tostill another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a cross sectional perspective view showing the method offolding the inflatable tube of the air belt.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view showing the first structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 39 is a perspective view showing the second structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 40 is a perspective view showing the third structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 41 is a perspective view showing the fourth structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 42 is a perspective view showing the fifth structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view showing the sixth structural example ofthe connection between the air belt and the buckle according to anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of the air belt portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus comprising a shock-absorbing mechanism having afirst structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of the air belt portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus comprising a shock-absorbing mechanism having asecond structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 46 is a perspective view of the air belt portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus comprising a shock-absorbing mechanism having athird structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 47 is a perspective view of the air belt portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus comprising a shock-absorbing mechanism having afourth structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 48 is an explanatory drawing showing a first structural example ofthe power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 49 is an explanatory drawing showing a second structural example ofthe power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 50 is an explanatory drawing showing a third structural example ofthe power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 51a and 51 b are explanatory drawings showing the first structuralexample of the guide hole portion of the power transmission mechanismshown in FIG. 44.

FIGS. 52a and 52 b are explanatory drawings showing the secondstructural example of the guide hold portion of the power transmissionmechanism shown in FIG. 44.

FIGS. 53a and 53 b are explanatory drawings showing the third structuralexample of the guide hole portion of the power transmission mechanismshown in FIG. 44.

FIG. 54 is an explanatory drawing showing the fourth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 55 is an explanatory drawing showing the fifth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 56 is an explanatory drawing showing the sixth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 57 is an explanatory drawing showing the seventh structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 58 is an explanatory drawing showing another structure of the powertransmission mechanism shown in FIG. 50.

FIG. 59 is an explanatory drawing showing still another structure of thepower transmission mechanism shown in FIG. 50.

FIG. 60 is an explanatory drawing showing the eighth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism provided with a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 61 is an explanatory drawing showing the ninth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism provided with a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Although references are made below to directions, such as left, right,up, down, etc., in describing the drawings, they are made relative tothe drawings (as normally viewed) for convenience. These directions arenot intended to be taken literally or limit the present invention in anyform.

Referring now to the drawings, the embodiments of the invention will bedescribed. FIG. 6 to FIG. 9 show the passenger protecting apparatusaccording to an embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6, the seat of the vehicle 10 comprises a seat cushion12, a seat back 14 and a headrest 16. On the left and right sidesurfaces of the seat cushion 12, the buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 aredisposed so as to move in the vertical direction.

The seat cushion 12 comprises a base plate constituting the bottom plateportion of said seat, a seat pad 12 a mounted on said base plate, and asubmarine phenomenon preventing plate 22 rotatably mounted via a shaft22 a fixed to the front end portion of said base plate about themidsection between the left and right sides thereof. A submarinepreventing plate 22 is constructed in such a manner that the front-endside rotates upward and the rear end side is rotates downward.

The rear ends on the left and right sides of said submarine phenomenonpreventing plate 22 are connected to said buckle 18 and said lap anchor20 respectively. The wires 24 extend along the left and right sides ofthe seat cushion 12 in the fore-and-aft direction. The wire 24 isprovided with a one-way clutch 25 that only allows the movement towardthe front of the seat and prevents the movement toward the rear of theseat. In this case, it is also possible to employ various linkages otherthan the wire 24 to obtain the same movement.

The tip portion of the lap belt 26 a of the seat belt webbing 26 isconnected to the lap anchor 20. The tongue 28 through which the webbing26 is passed is attachable to the buckle 18. The shoulder webbing 26 bis passed through the shoulder anchor 30 provided on the B pillar 30 andwindably and unwindably connected to the retractor (not shown).

On the left and right sides of the seat is provided with an air belt 32.The air belt 32 comprises an inflatable tube (not shown) formed of anairtight bag body of an elongated belt shape in plan view, and a meshwebbing (not shown) covering on said inflatable tube.

The inflatable tube comprises a gas inlet (not shown) and is connectedto the inflator as a gas source, not shown, via said gas inlet. Theinflator is actuated upon collision of the vehicle and supplies a gas tosaid inflatable tube to inflate the inflatable tube. The mesh webbing isformed of a cylindrical woven material, and expandable in thecircumferential direction and longitudinally shrinkable with thiscircumferential expansion, so as to be decreased in length.

The inflator tube is covered by the mesh webbing so as not to be crawledout therefrom, and when the inflatable tube is inflated by gas injectingaction of the inflator, the mesh webbing expands in the circumferentialdirection and shrinks longitudinally in association with expansion ofthe inflator tube, so that the ends of the inflatable tube are attractedtoward each other. Therefore, when the inflator is actuated and injecteda gas upon collision, the air belt 32 expands in the circumferentialdirection by inflation of the inflatable tube and the mash webbingshrinks longitudinally, and thus the distance between the ends of theair belt 32 decreases so as to decrease in length.

The front side of the air belt 32 is fixed to the front end of saidsubmarine phenomenon preventing plate 22. The rear end of the air belt32 is fixed to the side surface portion of the seat back at the midpoint in the vertical direction by a fitting 34. Each air belt 32 isnormally covered by a cover. When the air belts 32 are inflated by a gasfrom the inflator, said covers are torn and said air belts 32 formsleeve walls extending diagonally on the left and right sides of theseat cushion 12 as shown in FIG. 7. The inflator is installed forexample in the seat back 14.

Upon collision of the vehicle, the inflator is actuated and the airbelts 32 are inflated as shown in FIG. 7 to form sleeve wall portions asdescribed above, the length of the air belts 32 are shortened inassociation with the expansion thereof. Accordingly, the front end of asubmarine phenomenon preventing plate 22 is pulled up by said air belt32, and thus the front end of the seat pad 12 a is pushed up upwardly asshown by an arrow U. Therefore, a submarine phenomenon of the passengermay be prevented.

When said plate 22 rotates, the rear end of the plate 22 is lowered andthe wire 24 is pulled forward. Accordingly, the buckle 18 and the lapanchor 20 are pulled down downwardly (in the direction shown by an arrowD) respectively and a tensile strength (pretension) is applied to thewebbing 26, so that said webbing 26 comes into intimate contact with thepassenger.

According to the passenger protecting apparatus of this embodiment, whenthe vehicle collides from the front or from the diagonal direction, thefront end of the seat pad 12 a is pushed up to protect a submarinephenomenon, and the air belts 32 form sleeve walls to restrain thepassenger from the left and right sides. The webbing 26 is applied witha pretension so that the passenger is stably fixed on the seat by thewebbing 26.

Said one-way clutch 25 holds the buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 in thelowered state even after the air belt 32 is deflated. The one-way clutchmay be constructed in such a manner that the wire is advanced little bylittle to absorb the impact for the passenger.

The structure of the air belt 32 is not limited to the structuredescribed above, but the structure in which the mesh webbing iseliminated and the inflatable tube itself can shrink longitudinally inassociation with the inflation thereof in the circumferential directionis also applicable. The air belt 32 can be inflated also at the time ofa side crash.

In this embodiment, since both of the buckle 18 and the anchor 20 arepulled down, it is also possible to pull down one of these only.

FIGS. 1 to 5 show the passenger protecting apparatus according toanother embodiment of the present invention.

In this embodiment, the air belts 36 are mounted in the center or thelower portion of the front portion of the seat pad 12 a so as to extendin the direction of width between the left and the right. The air belt36 has a same structure as the air belt 32 of the embodiment describedabove, and so constructed that it is inflated in the circumferentialdirection by a gas from the inflator and decreases in length uponcollision of the vehicle. In this embodiment, there are two air belts 36are provided and each supplied with a gas from a common inflator 38. Theside of each air belt 36 located at the center of the seat width isfixed to the duct 40 for introduction of a gas. The side of each airbelt 36 located at the outside of the seat width is connected with thefront end of the wired 24. The rear end of the wire 24 is connected tothe buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 via a one-way clutch.

The air belt 36 is mounted on the base plate 42 of the seat, and thebase plate 42 prevents the air belt 36 from moving downward wheninflated. The base plate 42 is formed with a projection 42 a extendingwidthway along the front edge of the air belt 36, which limits themounting position of the air belt 36 and prevents the air belt 36 frommoving forward. In addition, the projection 42 a is constructed in sucha manner that when a pressing force not less than a prescribed value isapplied to the projection 42 a, the projection 42 a deforms accordinglyand allows the air belt 36 to move forward.

In case of collision of the vehicle, the inflator 38 is actuated tosupply a gas to the air belt 36, and thus the air belt 36 is inflatedand decreases in length. Since the air belt 36 is supported by the baseplate 42 from below, the seat cushion 12 a is pushed up or the portionof the seat cushion 12 a being abutted against the air belt 36 ishardened by being pressed and compressed from below when the air belt 36is inflated as shown in FIG. 5(a), and supported by the air belt 36 thatis prevented from moving forward by the projection 42 a, whereby thepassenger is supported stably and thus a submarine phenomenon of thepassenger is prevented. In this case, when the passenger bumped againstthe seat cushion 12 a with an excessive impactive force, the largeimpactive force is transmitted to the air belt 36 via the seat cushion12 a and the air belt 36 presses the projection 42 a forward with apressing force in excess of a prescribed value. As a consequent, theprojection 42 a deforms in response to this pressing force and allowsthe air belt 36 to move forward, and then the air belt 36 moves forwardwhile making the projection 42 a flat along with the movement of thepassenger, and absorbs the impactive force applied by the passenger.

In this embodiment, since the buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 are pulleddown via wires 24 due to decrease in length of the air belt 36, and apretension is applied to the seat belt webbing, the webbing comes intointimate contact with the passenger so that the passenger is stablyrestrained on the seat.

Though the air belt 36 is mounted on the base plate 42 and the mountingposition thereof is limited by the projection 42 a in this embodiment,it is not limited thereto, but as the air belt 36A shown in FIG. 22, theair belt may be mounted in such a manner that the both ends thereof issupported by the anchors 42 b, 42 c provided on the base plate 42. FIG.22 is a perspective view of the principal portion of the base plateportion of the passenger protecting apparatus having the air belt 36A,and the structure of the passenger protecting apparatus other than thatthe air belt 36A is mounted on the base plate via the anchors 42 b, 42 cis identical to the passenger protecting apparatus of the embodimentdescribed above, and identical numerals and signs designates identicalcomponents.

The air belt 36A shown in FIG. 22 is disposed between the base plate 42and the seat cushion 12 a (not shown) so as to extend along the widthbetween the left and the right of the base plate 42 in the vicinity ofthe mid section of the front portion of the base plate 42. Both shorterends of the air belt 26A are supported by a pair of anchors 42 b, 42 cextending upward from the base plate 42, and are prevented from movingdownward and in the fore-and-aft direction with respect to the seat. Ata shorter end of the air belt 36A, there is provided a gas inlet (notshown) for introducing a gas from the inflator 38A described later.

In this embodiment, a generally cylindrical inflator 38A having a gasexhaust port (not shown) at one end is used as a gas source forinflating the air belt. The end of the inflator 38A having a gas exhaustport is inserted into the air belt 36A through said gas inlet so thatthe gas exhaust port is disposed within the air belt 36A, and theperipheral edge of said gas inlet of the air belt 36A fitted on theinflator 38A is connected directly with the air belt 36A so as not to beseparated due to the pressure of the injected gas by being tightened bythe band (not shown) or the like (hereinafter, the direct connectionbetween the inflator and the air belt may be referred to as“direct-coupling”). Said end of the inflator 38A is provided with a gasguide member (not shown) for changing the direction of the gas flowinjected from the gas exhaust port into the direction longitudinally ofthe air belt 36A.

The anchor 42 b supports said one end of the air belt 38A indirectly byholding and fixing the inflator 38A.

In the passenger protecting apparatus having the air belt 36A supportedat both ends by the anchors 42 b, 42 c, the inflator 38A is actuated andinjects a gas to inflate the air belt 36A in case of emergency such as acollision of the vehicle. Since the air belt 36A is prevented frommoving downward and in the fore-and-aft direction by the anchors 42 b,42 c, the seat cushion 12 a is pushed up by the inflation of the airbelt 36A or the portion of the seat cushion 12 a abutting against theair belt 36A is hardened by being pressed and compressed from below whenthe air belt is inflated, whereby the passenger is supported stably andthus a submarine phenomenon of the passenger is prevented.

FIGS. 10 to 13 show an embodiment in which the air belt 36 of theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is enclosed by a metal plate 44. Themetal plate 44 is folded into halves, and the air belt 36 is interposedtherebetween, and then fixed to the base plate 42 by a fittings 46 suchas bolts, screws, rivets, or the like.

When the air belt 36 is inflated, said metal plate 44 is plasticallydeformed and expanded (widened) together with the air belt 36 and pushesup the seat cushion 12 a, or compresses and hardens the portion of theseat cushion 12 a in contact with the air belt 36 (metal plate 44). Inthis case, the air belt 36 is prevented from moving downward by the baseplate 42 via the lower leaf of the plate 44.

Though the metal plate 44 is apt to maintain the expanded shape evenafter the air belt 36 is deflated, when a pressing force is applied fromthe passenger, it is plastically contracted and deformed gradually, andthis plastic deformation serves to absorb the impact energy applied bythe passenger.

Expansion, and thus decrease in length of the air belt 36 pulls thebuckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 downward to apply a pretension to thewebbing.

In this embodiment, though the plate 44 is formed with a slit 44 a topromote the plastic deformation of the plate 44, the slit 44 a may beomitted.

In FIGS. 10 to 13, though the upper and lower leaves of the plate 44having the air belt 36 interposed therebetween are fixed to the baseplate by bolts 46 or the like, it is also possible to fix only the lowerleaf to the base plate by bolts or the like as the plate 44A shown inFIGS. 14 and 15.

In the embodiment described above, the air belt is disposed so as toextend along the width between the left and the right at the mid sectionof or under the front portion of the seat the seat cushion, and one endthereof is connected to at least one of the buckle and the lamp anchorof the seat belt apparatus via the wire or the like, the arrangement ofthe seat belt is not limited thereto, but the air belt may be arrangeddiagonally in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat cushion.

FIGS. 23 and 24 are perspective views showing structures of thepassenger protecting apparatuses each having an air belt or air beltsarranged in different ways.

According to the passenger protecting apparatus shown in FIG. 23, thereis provided an air belt 80 of which a shorter end is located at thefront portion of the seat cushion 12 a on one side, and of which theother end is located at the rear portion of the other side of the seatcushion 12 a.

There is provided a gas inlet (not shown) at said one end of the airbelt 80, and said gas inlet is direct-coupled with the gas exhaust port(not shown) located at one end of the cylindrical inflator 38C as in thecase of the air belt 36A described above. The inflator 38C is held bythe anchor 42 d extending from the base plate 42, whereby said one endof the air belt 80 is engaged and fixed between the base plate 42 andthe front portion of said one side of the seat cushion 12 a.

The other end of the air belt 80 is connected to any one of the buckle18 and the lap anchor 20 disposed on the sides of the seat cushion 12 aso as to be movable in the vertical direction (in this embodiment, theother side of the air belt 80 is connected to the buckle 18 and said oneside is disposed and fixed to the front portion of the side of the seatcushion 12 a where the lap belt 20 resides.). The air belt 80 isinflated circumferentially by a gas from the inflator and decreased inlength as in the case of the air belts in the embodiments describedabove.

The passenger protecting apparatus in this arrangement, the inflator 38Cis actuated and injects a gas, and the air belt 80 is inflated anddecreased in length. In this case, since said one end of the air belt 80is fixed to the front portion of said one side of the seat cushion 12 a,the other end of the air belt 80 connected to the buckle 18 movable invertical direction is attracted to said one end thereof and accordinglythe buckle 18 is pulled down, then a pretension is applied to the seatbelt webbing, and thus the webbing comes into intimate contact with thepassenger so that the passenger is restrained stably on the seat.

When the air belt 80 is inflated and the other end thereof is attractedtoward said one end or the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a, thefront portion of the seat cushion 12 a is pushed up or the portion ofthe seat cushion 12 a being abutted against the air belt 80 is hardenedby being pressed and compressed from below, so that a submarinephenomenon of the passenger is prevented. In this embodiment, though theother end of the air belt 80 is connected to the buckle 18, it is alsopossible to connect the other end of the air belt 80 to the lap anchor20 located on the side of the seat cushion 12 a opposite from the buckle18 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and to dispose and fixsaid one end of the air belt 80 to the front portion of the side of theseat cushion 12 a where the buckle 18 resides.

In the passenger protecting apparatus as shown in FIG. 24, a first airbelt 82 and a second air belt 84 having respectively the same structureas the air belt 80 described above and being inflated by a gas from theinflator and decreased in length are disposed, and one end of each airbelt 82, 84 is located in the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a atthe mid section of the width between the left and the right. The otherend of the first air belt 82 is located at the rear portion of one sideof the seat cushion 12 a and the other end of the second air belt 84 islocated at the rear portion of the other side of the seat cushion 12 a.The other end of each air belt 82, 84 is connected to the buckle 18 andthe lap anchor 20 disposed on the right and left side of the seatcushion 12 a so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

The air belts 82, 84 have gas inlets (not shown) respectively at oneend, and both gas inlets are connected to a common inflator 38D, whichsupplies a gas to each air belt 82 and 84. The one end of each air belt82, 84 are fixed under the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a at thecentral portion of the width between the left and the right.

In the passenger protecting apparatus in this arrangement, when theinflator 38D is actuated and injects a gas upon collision of thevehicle, the air belts 82, 84 are inflated and decrease in length. Atthis time, since said one end of each air belt 82, 84 is fixed to thefront portion of the seat cushion 12 a, the other ends connectedrespectively to the buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 are attracted towardsaid one end or the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a. Accordingly,in the passenger protecting apparatus shown in FIG. 24 as well, thebuckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 are pulled down, then a pretension isapplied to the seat belt webbing, and thus the passenger is restrainedstably on the seat, and the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a ispushed up or the portion of the seat cushion 12 a being abutted againstthese air belts 82, 84 is hardened by being pressed and compressed frombelow, so that a submarine phenomenon of the passenger is prevented.

In this embodiment, one end of the air belt is fixed to the frontportion of the seat cushion 12 a and the other end is directly connectedto the buckle 18 or the lap anchor 20 disposed at the rear portion ofthe right and left sides of the seat cushion 12 a so as to be movable inthe vertical direction, and the connecting means between the air beltand the buckle 18 or the lap anchor 20 using a wire or the like asdescribed above is eliminated and thus the structure is more simple andthe loss of the pulling-down force transmitted when the buckle 18 or thelap anchor 20 is pulling down may be reduced.

In the embodiments described above, though the front portion of the seatcushion 12 a is compressed and hardened from below by inflating the airbelt so that a submarine phenomenon of the passenger is prevented, meansto harden the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a is not limitedthereto. Referring now to FIGS. 25, 26, the passenger protectingapparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention willbe described.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the principal portion of the passengerprotecting apparatus according to another embodiment of the presentinvention, and FIG. 26 is a schematic cross sectional view showing thestructure of the passenger protecting apparatus.

The passenger protecting apparatus shown in FIG. 25 and FIG. 26comprises a bag body 100 containing a magnetic fluid 102 that issolidified by magnetically joined together by passing a currenttherethrough. The bag body 100 is generally cylindrical in appearanceformed of a flexibly deformable cloth or a resin sheet. The bag body 100is provided on both ends thereof with a pair of electrodes 104, 106 forpassing a current through the magnetic fluid 102. These electrodes 104,106 are connected to the current generating apparatus, not shown, sothat in case of a collision of the vehicle, the current generatingapparatus is actuates and supply a current through the magnetic fluid102.

The bag body 100 is mounted on the base plate 42 so as to extendlongitudinally in the direction of the width of the seat between theleft and the right under the front portion of the seat cushion 12 a. Thebag body 100 is prevented form being moved downward when inflated by thebase plate 42. The base plate 42 is formed with a projection 42 eextending in the direction of the width of the base plate 42 along thefront edge portion of the bag body 100, so that the projection 42 elimits the mounting position of the bag body 100 and prevents the bagbody 100 from moving forward. When a pressing force not less than aprescribed value is applied, the projection 42 e deforms accordingly andallows the bag body 100 to move forward.

The lower surface of the seat cushion 12 a is formed with a recess 12 bfacing downward for accommodating the upper half of the bag body 100.The seat cushion 12 a is very thin at the portion over the recess 12 b,and when the bag body 100 is placed in the recess 12 b, the uppersurface of the seat cushion 12 a and the upper end surface of the bagbody 100 comes close so that the bag body 100 substantially supports thepassenger in the vicinity of the recess 12 b.

In the passenger protecting apparatus in this arrangement, the currentgenerating apparatus not shown described above is actuated and flow acurrent through the magnetic fluid 102 to solidify the bag body 100 uponcollision of the vehicle so as to support the passenger and prevents asubmarine phenomenon of the passenger. In this embodiment as well, whenthe passenger bumped against the bag body 100 with an excess ofimpactive force, the bag body 100 presses the projection 42 a at apressing force not less than a prescribed value. As a consequent, itmoves forward while deforming the projection 42 e and absorbs theimpactive force applied by the passenger.

In this embodiment, since the bag body 100 is mounted on the base plate42 and is prevented from moving downward and forward of the seat by theprojection 42 e provided on the front end thereof, the method ofmounting the bag body 100 is not limited thereto, but it is alsopossible to mount the bag body by supporting both ends of the bag body100 with the anchors or the like extending from the base plate 42 so asnot to move downward and fore-and-aft direction of the seat.

FIGS. 16, 17 are drawings showing still another embodiment, in which anair belt 50 extends in the direction of the width of the seat along theback surface of the seat back 14. The ends of the air belt 50 areconnected to the buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 via wires 24.

When the inflator, not shown, is actuated upon collision of the vehicleand the air belt 50 is inflated, the length of the air belt 50 in theleft and right direction is shortened, then the buckle 18 and the lapanchor 20 are pulled down via wires 24, and a pretension is applied tothe webbing. The air belt 50 swells out from the back surface of theseat back 14.

Accordingly, the lower half including knees of the passenger's bodysitting on the rear seat is protected.

FIGS. 18 to 20 are drawings of the another embodiment comprising aheadrest 16 movable frontward and diagonally upward by the tensilestrength generated by inflation of the air belt, in which one end of thewire 52 is connected to the end of the air belt 62 and the other end ofthe wire 52 is connected to the gear 54. The gear 54 is generallyhalf-round or three quarters round having gear teeth on the peripheralsurface. The gear 54 is rotatably supported to the seat back frame orthe like by a pivot 56 at the center of the circle.

Two anchor rods 58 are extending downwardly from the headrest 16. Asshown in FIG. 20, the anchor rod 58 is curved into an arc in side view,and supported so as to slide along the rod guide 60 also curved into anarc. A rack is provided on the side surface of the anchor rod 58, andsaid gear 54 is engaged with the rack. In this case, verticallyadjusting means of the headrest is provided in the headrest.

The air belt 62 to which the wire 52 is connected is inflated only whenthe vehicle is bumped from the back, and disposed on the upper frontside of the seat back 14. The air belt 62 is extending in the directionof the width of the seat back.

When the vehicle is bumped from the back, the air belt is inflated asshown in FIG. 20 with a dot dash line 62′ so that the upper portion ofthe back or the passenger is supported, the wire 52 is pulled by the airbelt 62 decreases in length, the gear 54 rotates, the anchor rod 58moves along the rod guide 60, and the headrest 16 is pushed frontwardand diagonally upward as shown by an arrow H in FIG. 20. Accordingly,the headrest receives the head of the passenger. By inflating the airbelt 62 frontward and positioning the headrest 16 in the front, theupper half of the body or the head of the passenger is prevented frombeing smashed to the seat back 14 or the headrest 16 at high velocityupon collision, thereby preventing an injury such as whiplash.

The wire 52 is preferably provided with a one-way clutch at the midpoint of the wire 52.

FIG. 21 shows a passenger protecting apparatus according to anotherembodiment in which the air belt 72 is provided so as to extend on theceiling portion of the vehicle at the upper portion of the seat back 14of the left and right front seats along the width of the vehicle body.The end of the air belt 72 on the left side of the vehicle body isconnected to the shoulder anchor of the B pillar 70 on the left side ofthe vehicle body via a wire 74. The end of the air belt 72 on the rightside of the vehicle body is connected to the shoulder anchor of the Bpillar on the right side of the vehicle body via the wire. Otherreference numerals and signs in FIG. 21 designate identical componentsas those in FIG. 6.

When the air belt is inflated upon collision of the vehicle, the lengthof the air belt 72 is shortened, the shoulder anchor 30 is pulled up,and a pretension is applied to the webbing 26. The inflated air belt 72extends from the ceiling portion of the vehicle body above the seat backof the front seat on the left side to the portion above the seat back ofthe front seat on the right side as shown by a dot dash line 72′ in FIG.21, so as to prevent the passenger sitting on the rear seat from jumpingforward.

In the embodiment described above, the air belts 50, 62, 72 have thesame structure as the air belts 32 or 36 described above.

Referring now to FIG. 27 to FIG. 33, another embodiment of the presentinvention will be described.

FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the seat comprising a passengerprotecting apparatus according to still another embodiment of thepresent invention, FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the connectingportion between the air belt and the inflator of the passengerprotecting apparatus partially in cross section, FIG. 29 is an explodedperspective view of said connecting portion shown in FIG. 28, FIGS.30-32 are explanatory drawings showing the method of fixing the air beltto the side panel, and FIG. 33 is a cross sectional view showing theconnecting portion between the air belt and the side panel. FIG. 30 isan 30 exploded perspective view showing a structure in which the meshwebbing is engaged with the side panel. FIG. 31 is a perspective viewshowing the engagement between the mesh webbing and the ring member, andFIG. 32 is an exploded perspective view showing the engagement betweenthe side panel and the inflator.

The air belt 320 comprises an elongated bag shaped inflatable tube 332to be inflated by a gas from the inflator, and an elongated bag shapedmesh webbing 324 for covering the inflatable tube 322, as in the case ofthe air belts 32, 36 in the embodiment described above, in which the airbelt 320 is disposed in the front portion of the base plate 42 of theseat 10 at the mid section along the width between the left and theright. At one of shorter ends of the inflatable tube 322, there isprovided a gas inlet 322 a for introducing a gas from the inflator 380described later.

The inflator 380 is elongated generally cylindrical shape and isprovided with a gas exhaust port 384 on the side of the tip portion 382of said one of shorter ends thereof.

As shown in FIGS. 28, 29, one-half of the inflator 380 is inserted intothe gas inlet 322 a of the inflatable tube 322 from the side of the tipportion 382. After said gas exhaust port 384 is disposed in theinflatable tube 322, the inflator 380 and the inflatable tube 322 isdirectly connected so as not to be separated by the pressure of a gas bya band 330 tightened on the peripheral edge of the gas inlet 322 a ofthe inflatable tube 322 fitted on the inflator 380 (hereinafter, thedirect connection between the inflator and the inflatable tube (or theair belt) may be referred to as “direct-coupling”).

At said one end of the inflator 380, a generally cylindrical gas guidemember 386 having a circumferential wall 386 a surrounding the tipportion 382 coaxially is fitted prior to insertion of the inflator 380into the inflatable tube 322. The gas guide member 386 comprises saidcircumferential wall 386 a enclosing the tip portion of the inflator 380at a prescribed distance and a gas outlet 386 b opened at the endsurface of said tip portion 382, whereby a gas exhausted from the gasexhaust port 384 is prevented from flowing sideward by thecircumferential wall 386 a and is allowed to flow out only from the gasoutlet 386 b, so that the direction of a flow of a gas exhausted fromthe inflator 380 is changed toward the tip of the inflator 380 orlongitudinally of the inflatable tube 322.

The inflator 380 is connected to the inflatable tube 322 so that therear end projects from said opening 322 a. The rear end of the inflator380 is formed of a flange member 388 extending from the side surfacethereof, and the flange member 388 is fixed to the side panel 420described later to lock the inflator 380 and thus the inflatable tube322 at a prescribed position.

The inflatable tube 322 is covered by the mesh webbing 324. The meshwebbing 324 is circumferentially expandable as described before andshaped in an elongated bag formed of a woven material or the like whichcontracts longitudinally in association with the circumferentialexpansion to decrease in length. The mesh webbing 324 is formed with anopening 324 a at one of the shorter ends, and the inflatable tube 322 inthe state having an inflator 380 connected is inserted into the bag bodyof the mesh webbing 324 through said opening 324 a.

The mesh webbing 324 is disposed at the front central portion of thebase plate 42 of the seat 10 along the width of the base plate 42between the left and the right, and said one end where the opening 324 ais formed is fixed to one of a pair of opposed plate shaped side panels420 disposed along the left and right sides of the base plate 42.

In order to fix the mesh webbing 324 to the side panel 420, in a firstplace, said one end of the mesh webbing 324 is inserted into an air beltinsertion hole 422 formed of a through hole provided at a prescribedposition of the side panel 420 and a ring member 424 of a prescribedconfiguration and dimensions provided on the surface of the side panel420 facing toward outside (surface facing toward the side away from theopposed side panel 420) (FIG. 30). Then, the peripheral edge of theopening 324 a at said one end of the mesh webbing 324 is turned over theouter surface of the mesh webbing 324 so as to enclose the outerperiphery of the ring member 424, and thus the ring member 424 is heldat said one end of the mesh webbing 324 by said one end of the meshwebbing 324 in a state of being enclosed by a midsection of said one endof the mesh webbing 324 (FIG. 31).

On the surface of the side panel 420 facing toward outside, an annularprojected shoulder portion 426 is formed along said insertion hole 422so as to enclose the peripheral edge thereof. The ring member 424 isfitted on said annular projected shoulder portion 424 in a state ofbeing enclosed by the mid section of one end of the mesh webbing 324,and said one end of the mesh webbing 324 is pulled into the insertionhole 422 together with the peripheral edge portion of the opening 324 aturned over the outer surface (FIG. 32).

As a consequent, the mid section of the mesh webbing 324 enclosing thering member 424 is held on the peripheral edge portion of the projectedshoulder portion 426 of the side panel 420 by the ring member 424.

Then the inflatable tube 322 in the sate of being connected directly tothe inflator 380 is inserted into the opening 324 a of the mesh webbing324 of which the peripheral edge is turned along the outer periphery ofthe ring member 424 from the side of the shorter end opposite from theside connected to the inflator 380 (FIG. 32).

The inflatable tube 322 is inserted into said opening 324 a until theflange member 388 of the inflator 380 disposed at the rear end overlayson the ring member 424 fitted on the projected shoulder portion 426along the surface of the side panel 420 facing toward the outside viathe mid section of the mesh webbing 324 enclosing the ring member 424.The flange member 388 is fixed on the side panel 420 by inserting a bolt390 through the bolt insertion hole 388 a disposed on the peripheralportion thereof and tightening the bolt 390 into the bolt hole 420 aformed on the side panel 420.

As a consequent, the side of the mesh webbing 324 enclosing the ringmember 424 is positively clumped between the ring member 424 and theside panel 420 and between the ring member 424 and the flange member388, and thus fixedly mounted on the side panel 420. By fixing theflange member 388 on the side panel 420, both of the inflator 380 andthe inflatable tube 322 are locked on the side panel 420 in the state ofbeing covered by the mesh webbing 324.

The inner peripheral surfaces of the air belt insertion hole 422 and theprojected shoulder portion 426 provided on the side panel 420 form aconsecutive surface, and the consecutive surface forms an annulartapered portion 428 that increases in diameter concentrically andconsecutively from the mid point of the insertion hole 422 in thedirection of thickness of the side panel to the edge portion of theinner periphery of the end surface of the projected shoulder portion426. The mesh webbing 324 inserted into the insertion hole 422 andpulled into the insertion hole 422 while enclosing the ring member 424extends along the tapered portion 428.

On the surface of the flange member 388 facing toward the side panel420, there is provided an annular shelf portion 392 overhanging alongthe circumferential surface of the inflator 380 at the boundary with theflange member 388 so as to enclose the inflator 380. The circumferentialsurface of the shelf portion 392 forms a tapered portion 394 taperingtoward the tip of the inflator 380. When the flange member 388 and thering member 424 fitted on the insertion hole 422 are overlapped, thetapered portion 394 engages with the tapered portion 428 formed on theconsecutive inner peripheral surfaces of the insertion hole 422described above and the annular projected shoulder portion 426. In thiscase, the mesh webbing 324 extending along said tapered portion 428 inadvance is interposed between these tapered portions 394 and 428.

Therefore, when the mesh webbing 324 is held by the ring member 424against the peripheral portion of the inserting hole 422 as describedabove, and the inflatable tube 322 and the inflator 380 are insertedinto the mesh webbing 324, and then the flange member 388 is placed soas to overlap with the ring member 424 with the mid section of the meshwebbing 324 interposed therebetween, the mid section of the mesh webbing324 is clumped between the ring member 424 and the side panel 420 andbetween the ring member 424 and the flange member 388, as well asbetween said tapered portions 394 and 428, so as not to resist beingdetached from the insertion hole 422.

The other end of the mesh webbing longitudinally opposed to the one ofthe sides thereof fixed with the side panel 420 is connected to one ofthe buckle 18 and the lap anchor 20 provided on the left and right sidesof the seat 10 via a connecting structure, not shown (in thisembodiment, the other end of the mesh webbing 324 is connected to thelap anchor (not shown)). The buckle 18 or the lap anchor 20 connected tothe other end of the mesh webbing 324 is disposed so as to be movable inthe vertical direction on the side surface of the seat.

In such a passenger protecting apparatus comprising an inflatable tubeand a mesh webbing 324 fixed to the side panel 420 at one end anddisposed in the front central portion of the base plate 42 so as toextend along the width thereof between the left and the right, uponcollision of the vehicle, the inflator 380 is actuated and injects a gasinto the air belt 320, and then the air belt 320 is inflated anddecreases in length as in the embodiment described above. In this case,since a gas injected form the inflator 380 flows longitudinally of theair belt while being guided by the gas guide member 386, ahigh-temperature and high25 pressure gas is directly injected onto theside surface of the inflatable tube 322, so that the inflatable tube 322is not damaged and the air belt 320 is quickly inflated. Since one endof the air belt 320 is fixedly attached to the side panel 420, the otherend of the air belt 320 is positively attracted toward said one endthereof in association with the reduction of the length of the air belt320, then the buckle 18 or the rap anchor 20 connected to the other endis pulled down so as to apply a pretension to the seat belt webbing, andthus the passenger is stably restrained on the seat. As a matter ofcourse, as is the case of the embodiment described above, by inflationof the air belt 320, the seat cushion 12 a is pushed up or the portionof the seat cushion 12 a abutting against the air belt 320 is pressedfrom below and thus hardened, so that a submarine phenomenon of thepassenger is prevented.

FIGS. 34 and 35 shows another embodiment of the structure shown in FIGS.27 to 33, in which the inflator 380 and the air belt 320 are connectedby a tubular gas duct 430 so that the gas from the inflator is guided tothe air belt by said gas duct 430.

The gas duct 430 is bent at the mid point thereof into L-shape, and thetip portion at one end is inserted into the opening 322 a of theinflatable tube 322 and the other end is fitted on the tip portion 382of the inflator 380. A gas from the inflator 380 is introduced throughthe gas duct 430 to the inflatable tube 322. Said one end of the gasduct 430 inserted into the inflatable tube 322 is fixedly securedthereto by a band 330 tightened on the peripheral edge of the opening322 a of the inflatable tube 322 fitted on the gas duct 430 so as not tobe detached by the gas pressure.

As shown in FIG. 35, the portion of the gas duct 430 projecting from theportion of the inflatable tube 322 located between said end connected tothe inflatable tube 322 and the bent portion 430 a, there is provided aflange member 388A including an annular shelf portion 392A having atapered portion 394A constructed in the same manner as the flange member388 described above. Therefore, as in the case of the embodimentdescribed above, the inflatable tube 322 and the inflator 380 areengaged with the side panel 420 by fixing the flange member 388A to theside panel 420 with bolts 390 or the like, and the mesh webbing 324 isinterposed between the ring member 424 and the side panel 420 andbetween the ring member 424 and the flange member 388A with the midsection thereof on the side of one end enclosed the ring member 424, andthen fixed to the side panel. At this time, the inflator 380 is disposedfrom the other end of the gas duct 430 bent from said one end along theside panel 420 and fixed to the side of the seat.

FIG. 36 shows another embodiment of the structure shown in FIGS. 27 to33, in which the ring member enclosed by the mid section of the meshwebbing 324 on the side of one end is fitted into the air belt insertionhole on the side panel 420 along the tapered portion and the ring memberis held by the flange member provided on the rear portion of theinflator 380.

In this embodiment, the air belt insertion hole 422B of the side panel420 has a tapered portion 428B on the inner peripheral surface thereof,which increases in diameter toward the surface of the side panel facingthe outside, as in the case of the embodiment described above, and theprojected shoulder portion 426 formed along the peripheral edge of theinsertion hole 422 facing toward the outside in the embodiment describedabove is omitted. The ring member 424B is inserted into the insertionhole 422B along the tapered portion 428B in the state of being enclosedby the mid section of the mesh webbing 324 on the side of one end, andthe inflatable tube 322 and the inflator 380 are inserted via theopening 324 a of the mesh webbing 324 of which the peripheral edgeportion is turned along the outer periphery of the ring member 424B. Thering member 242B is pressed against said tapered portion 428B by theflange member 388B provided on the rear portion of the inflator 380.

As in the case of the flange member 388 in the embodiment describedabove, the flange member 388B of this embodiment extends from thecircumferential surface of the rear portion of the inflator 380, andoverlaps with the ring member 424B when the inflator connected to theinflatable tube 322 is inserted into said opening 324 a of the meshwebbing 324, so that it can be fixed on the surface of the side panel420 facing outside by bolts 390 or the like. The surface of the flangemember 388B overlapping with the ring member 424B is flat, and the shelfportion 392 having a tapered portion 394 in the flange member 388described above is omitted. Therefore, the ring member 424B is fixedlysecured to the side panel 420 by fixing the flange member 388B on theside panel 420, then holding the ring member 424B by the side panel 420in the state of being enclosed by said flange member 388B, the taperedportion 428B of the insertion hole 42B, and the circumferential surfaceon the rear portion of the inflator 380, and then interposing the midsection of the mesh webbing 324 on the side of one end enclosing saidring member 424B between the ring member 424B and the surfaces enclosingsaid ring member 424B.

The structure shown in FIG. 36 is also applicable to the embodimentshown in FIGS. 34 and 35.

In the embodiment described above, though the ring member 424, 424B areformed into circle in cross section and a closed O-shaped ring, theconstruction of the ring member is not limited thereto, but it may betriangular or rectangular, or other shape in cross section, and the ringmember may be C-shape opening at a part of it.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, a thickair belt may be used as needed. In this case, when a wide inflator tubeis used to make the air belt thicker when inflated, as shown in FIGS.37(a), (b), it is also possible to fold the inflatable tube once orseveral times along the longitudinal folding line L at the mid point ofthe width to make a narrow folded body, and to store the folded body ofthe inflatable tube into the mesh webbing for covering the folded bodyof the inflatable tube and having elasticity, so that the storing areaof the air belt in normal state under the cushion other than the casewhere the air belt is inflated may be reduced.

Referring now to FIGS. 38 to 43, the connecting structure between theair belt and the buckle or the lap anchor of the passenger protectingapparatus of the present invention will be described now. FIGS. 38 to 43are perspective views showing the connecting structure between the airbelt and the buckle according to this embodiment, and identical numeralsand signs designates identical components throughout the drawings.

The air belt 320A shown in FIG. 38 is connected to the buckle 18 via awire 500A. The air belt 320A is, as the air belt 320 described above andshown in FIG. 27, disposed in the front central portion of the baseplate 42 so as to extend along the width thereof between the left andthe right, and one of the shorter ends is fixed to the side frame 420mounted along the side of the base plate 42. The buckle 18 is disposedon the side portion of the seat 10 so as to move in the verticaldirection as described above.

The one end of the wire 500A is connected to the other shorter end ofthe air belt 320A (the end of the air belt longitudinally opposed tosaid one of the shorter ends fixed to the side frame 420), and the otherend of the wire 500 is connected to the lower portion of the buckle 18.

When the air belt 320A is inflated and the length thereof is shortened,the other side of the air bag 320A connected to one end of the wire 500Ais attracted to said one end fixed to the side panel 420 and pulls saidone end of the sire 500A. The buckle 18 connected to the other end ofthe wire 500A is pulled downward (direction shown by an arrow D2 in FIG.38) via the wire 500A by a shrinking force of the air belt 320A.Therefore, a pretension is applied to the seat belt webbing, not shown,and the passenger is stably restrained on the seat by the seat beltwebbing.

The mid section of the wire 500A is inserted into the tubular guidecolumn 502 so as to be movable along the length thereof. Guided by theguide column 502, the wire 500A extends from the other end of the airbelt 320A longitudinally of the air belt 320A, then turns on the side ofthe seat 10 below the buckle 18 and is routed up in the direction inparallel with the direction to pull down the buckle 18 (direction shownby the arrow D2) and connected to the lower portion of the buckle 18.Accordingly, when one end of the wire is pulled in the direction inwhich the air belt 320A shrinks, the other end of the wire 500A can pullthe buckle 18 downward.

The air belt 320B shown in FIG. 39 has the same structure andarrangement as the air belts 320, 320A described above, and connected tothe buckle 18 via the wire 500B.

One end of the wire 500B is connected to the other end of the air belt320B longitudinally opposed to the end fixed to the side flame 420, andfrom the other end, it extends along the air belt, then at the midsection thereof, it is guided by the pulleys 504, 506 to the positionbelow the buckle 18 and then routed in the direction in parallel withthe direction to pulled down the buckle 18 (direction shown by the arrowD₃ in FIG. 39) and connected to the lower portion of the buckle 18.

The pulleys 504, 506 are mounted at the prescribed positions shown inFIG. 39 respectively by the supporting members, not shown, so as to berotatable in a prescribed direction. The wire 500B is engaged with thepulley 504, 506 at the mid section thereof, and guided in such a mannerthat when one end of the wire 500B is pulled by the pulleys 504, 506 inthe direction in which the air belt 320B shrinks, the other end pullsthe buckle 18 downward (direction shown by the arrow D₃).

In this embodiment, when the air belt 320B is inflated and the lengththereof is shortened, the buckle 18 is pulled by the shrinking force ofthe air belt 320B downward in the direction shown by the arrow D₃ viathe wire 500B guided by the pulleys 504, 506, and thus a pretension isapplied to the seat belt webbing, not shown.

The air belt 320C shown in FIG. 40 has the same structure and thearrangement as the air belts 320, 320A described above, and connected tothe buckle 18 via the wire 500C.

The mid section of the wire 500C is inserted through the slip anchors508, 510 so as to be slidable therein, and guided by these slip anchors508, 510 so that one end thereof is connected to the other end of theair belt 320C longitudinally opposed to the end fixed to the side frame420, and the other end thereof extends longitudinally of the air belt,then along the side surface of the seat 10 toward the position below thebuckle 18, and then is routed in the direction in parallel with thedirection to pull the buckle 18 downward (direction shown by the arrowD₄ in FIG. 40), and connected to the lower portion of the buckle 18.

When the air belt 320C is inflated and decreased in length as in theembodiment described above, said one end of the wire 500C is pulledtoward the other end of the air belt 320C and thus the mid section ofthe wire 500C slides within said slip anchors 508, 510, so that theother end of the wire 500C pulls the buckle 18 downward (direction shownby the arrow D₄) to apply a pretension to the seat belt.

The air belt 320D shown in FIG. 41 has the same structure and thearrangement as the air belts 320, 320A-320C described above, and one endis fixed to the side frame 420 and the other end is connected to one endof the first wire 500D.

The other end of the first wire 500D is wound around one of the pulleys512 a of the rotatable body 512 comprising a pair of pulleys 512 a and512 b coaxially connected so as to rotate integrally with each other viaa shaft.

A second wire 500E is connected to the lower portion of the buckle 18.The other end of the second wire 500E extends toward the position belowthe buckle 18 (direction shown by the arrow D₅ in FIG. 41) and windablyconnected to the other one of pulley 512 b of the rotatable body 512.

When the air belt 320D is inflated and decreased in length, one end ofthe first wire 500D connected to the air belt 320D is pulled by theshrinking force of the air belt 320D, and the other end wound around thepulley 512 a is unwound from the pulley 512 a by the lengthcorresponding to the shrinkage of the air belt 320D. In this case, thepulley 512 a rotates in the direction to unwind the wire D in order toallow the wire D to be unwound unwinding of the wire 500D, and thepulley 512 b rotates integrally with the pulley 512 a so that the otherend of the second wire 500E connected to the pulley 512 b is woundaround the pulley 512 b. Accordingly, said the end of the wire 500Econnected to the lower portion of the buckle 18 pulls the buckle 18downward (direction shown by the arrow D₅), so that a pretension isapplied to the seat webbing, not shown.

FIG. 42 shows another structure of the embodiment described above, inwhich the air belt 320E is connected to the buckle 18 via therack-and-pinion 520 instead of the rotatable body 512.

One end of the first wire 50OF is connected to the other end of the airbelt 320E longitudinally opposed to the end connected to the side frame420. The other end of the first wire is wound around the shaft portion514 a supporting the pinion 514 rotatably disposed at a prescribedposition on the side of the base plate 42 shown in FIG. 42 and alwaysrotating integrally with said pinion 514.

When the air belt 320E is inflated and decreased in length, the end ofthe first wire 500F connected to the air belt 320E is pulled by theshrinking force of the air belt 320E, and accordingly the other endthereof wound around the shaft portion 514 a is unwound from the shaftportion 514 a by the length corresponding to the shrinkage of the airbelt 320E. In this case, the shaft portion 514 a rotates integrally withthe pinion 514 in the direction to unwind the wire 500F to allow theunwinding of the wire F.

The pinion 514 engages with a half portion of the rack 518 disposedalong the side of the base plate 42 so as to be movable in thefore-and-aft direction of the seat.

One end of the second wire 500G is connected to the lower portion of thebuckle 18. The other end of the second wire 500G extends in thedirection in which the buckle 18 is pulled down (direction shown by thearrow D₆ in FIG. 42), and is windably connected to the shaft portion 516a supporting the pinion 516 rotatably disposed under the buckle 18 andalways rotating integrally with the pinion 516 on the side of the baseplate 42.

The pinion 516 engages with the other half portion of the rack 518described above.

In this embodiment, when the air belt 320E is inflated and decreased inlength, as described above, the pinion 514 engaged with one half of therack 518 rotates in association with unwinding of the other end of thefirst wire 500F wound around the shaft portion 514 a, and engagessubsequently with the rack 518 toward the other half portion so that therack 518 moves along the side of the base plate 42 toward the front ofthe seat in parallel to itself. Along with the parallel movement of therack 518, the pinion 516 engaged with the other half of the rack 518rotates, and the other end of the wire 500G is wound around the shaftportion 516 a which rotates always integrally with the pinion 516.

Accordingly, the buckle 18 connected to the one end of the wire 500G ispulled downward (direction shown by the arrow D₆), so that a pretensionis applied to the seat belt webbing, not shown.

In the embodiments described above, it is also possible to employ a ropeor some other linear body instead of the wire 500A-G, and the linearbody may be webbing or mesh webbing extended from one end thereof.

The air belt 320F shown in FIG. 43 is connected to the buckle 18 via alinkage 522.

The air belt 320F has the same structure and arrangement as the airbelts 320, 320A-E described above, and extends at the front centralportion of the base plate 42 along the width between the left and theright, and the one of the shorter ends is fixed to the side frame 420disposed along the side of the base plate 42. When the air belt 320F isinflated, the other end thereof is attracted to the end fixed to theside frame 420, so as to decrease in length.

The linkage 522 is constructed in such a manner that the longitudinal(direction of the width of the base plate between the left and theright) shrinking force of the air belt 320F generated when the air belt320F is inflated and the other side of the air belt 320F is attractedtoward one of the sides thereof is converted to the pulling-down forcefor pulling the buckle 18 downward (direction shown by the arrow D₇ inFIG. 43) by the shafts 524A-C and the bell cranks 526A, B or the likeshown in FIG. 43 and transmitted to the buckle 18. Accordingly, when theair belt 320F is inflated and decreased in length, the shrinking forceis transmitted to the buckle 18 via the linkage 522, and then the buckle18 is pulled downward (direction of the arrow D₇) so that a pretensionis applied to the seat belt.

In the embodiment described above, though the air belts A-F are allconnected to the buckle 18, these air belts A-F may be connected to thelap anchor 20 (not shown in FIGS. 34-43) instead of the buckle 18.

In the passenger protecting apparatus of the present invention, the airbelt is provided with a shock-absorbing mechanism, so that the impactiveforce is absorbed when the passenger bumped against the seat cushionraised or hardened by the air belt upon collision. Referring now toFIGS. 44 to 47, the passenger protecting apparatus comprising an airbelt having such a shock-absorbing mechanism will be described. FIGS.44-47 are perspective views respectively of the air belt portion of thepassenger protecting apparatus having a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to this embodiment, and identical numerals and signsdesignates identical components throughout the drawings.

The air belt 600 shown in FIG. 44 comprises a vent hole 602 fordischarging a gas from the air belt 600 when the air belt 600 isinflated in order to prevent the internal pressure of the air belt fromexcessively increasing. The air belt 600 is disposed at a front centralportion of the base plate 42 so as to extend between the base plate 42and the seat cushion 12 a along the width thereof between the left andthe right, and the base plate 42 prevents the air belts 600 from movingdownward.

The air belt 600 is inflated by the inflator (not shown) for injecting agas in case of emergency such as a collision of the vehicle so as topush up the seat cushion 12 a from below or compress and harden theportion of the seat cushion 12 a abutting against the air belt 600 frombelow, thereby supporting the passenger via the seat cushion 12 a andpreventing a submarine phenomenon of the passenger.

In this case, since a gas in the air belt is discharged from the venthole 602 so as to prevent the internal pressure of the air belt fromexcessively increasing, even when the passenger bumped against the seatcushion 12 a with a large impactive force, the air belt 600 sufficientlyabsorbs the impactive force to protect the passenger.

Though it is not shown, the air belt 600 may be provided with valvemeans at the vent hole 602 for opening the vent hole 602 when the gaspressure reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, so as to preventirregular discharge of a gas from the vent hole 602. The position of thevent hole is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 44, but the venthole may be disposed for example at the connecting portion between theair belt 600 and the inflator for inflating the air belt 600. In thiscase as well, the vent hole may be provided with said valve means.

The air belt 610 shown in FIG. 45 is an embodiment in which a part ofthe air belt is seamed by a tear seam 612 to limit the configuration ofthe air belt 610 in the inflated state. The tear seam 612 is formed bypartially seaming the air belt 610 with a thread that is to be brokenwhen the internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds aprescribed value, and limits the deployed configuration of the air belt610 in the inflated state so as to decrease the volume of the air belt610. When the internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds theprescribed value when inflated, the seamed portion is released bybreakage of the thread and thus allows the air belt to increase involume.

The air belt 610 extends between the base plate 42 and the seat cushion12 a and is inflated by the injection of a gas from the inflator (notshown) to prevent a submarine phenomenon of the passenger as in the caseof the air belt 600. When the passenger bumped against the air belt 610via the seat cushion 12 a with a very large impactive force, the airbelt 610 is pressurized by the impactive force and thus the internalpressure of the air belt increases. When the internal pressure of theair belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, the tear seam 610 isbroken and allows the air belt 610 to increase in volume. At this time,since increase in volume of the air belt 610 prevents the internalpressure from excessively increasing, this air belt 610 can absorb thelarge impactive force sufficiently and protect the passenger.

The air belt 620 shown in FIG. 46 is provided with a vent hole 622 as inthe case of the vent hole 602 of the air belt 600 described above, andpartially seamed so as to close the vent hole 622 by a tear seam 624.

The tear seam 624 is, as in the case of the tear seam 612 of the airbelt 610 described above, formed by partially seaming the air belt 620with a thread That is to be broken when the internal pressure of the airbelt reaches or exceeds the prescribed value and limits the deployedconfiguration of the air belt 610 so as to reduce the volume of the airbelt in the state of being inflated. In this embodiment, the tear seam624 joins the peripheral portion of the vent hole 622 so as to close thevent hole 622. When the internal pressure of the air belt reaches orexceeds the prescribed value, the tear seam 624 is broken and releasesthe jointed portion of the air belt 620 to allow the air belt toincrease in volume and open the vent hole 622.

In the air belt 620 in this arrangement, when the internal pressure ofthe air belt is at or below a prescribed value upon inflation of the airbelt, the vent hole 622 is not opened, and thus a gas is not dischargedirregularly from the air belt 620. Therefore, the air belt 620 isinflated quickly and supports the passenger immediately, and prevents asubmarine phenomenon of the passenger. When the passenger pressurizedthe air belt 620 with a very large impactive force and thus the internalpressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, the tearseam 624 is broken and the joined portion of the air belt 620 by thetear seam 624 is released to allow the air belt 620 to increase involume, and the internal pressure decreases with this increase involume. When the joined portion of the air belt 620 is released, thevent hole 622 is released as well, and thus a gas can be discharged fromthe air belt 620 so that the internal pressure of the air belt isprevented from excessively increasing. Therefore, the air belt 620 cansatisfactory absorb the impactive force to protect the passenger.

The air belt 630 shown in FIG. 47 limits the deployed configuration inthe state of being inflated by means of a loop strap 632 woundcircumferentially around the air belt at about the midway along thelength thereof.

The loop strap 632 has a seamed portion 632 a formed by seaming aportion of the strap with another portion of the strap so that thelength of the loop is reduced with a thread that is to be broken when aprescribed tensile strength is applied, and the air belt 630 wound bythe strap 632 around thereof is narrowed by the strap 632 at the midsection thereof and reduced in volume when the internal pressure of theair belt is at or less than the prescribed value in the state of beinginflated. The strap 632 is released by breaking the thread at the seamedportion 632 a when the internal pressure of the air belt reaches orexceeds a prescribed value, and thus the length of the loop is increasedand allows the air belt 630 to increase in volume.

With the air belt 630 having a strap 632 in this arrangement, when theair belt 630 is pressurized by the passenger with a very large impactforce when the air belt is inflated, the thread at the seamed portion632 a is broken and thus the loop of the strap 632 is increased inlength and thus the air belt 630 is increased in volume, therebyreducing the internal pressure of the air belt, and therefore theimpactive force is absorbed.

The shock-absorbing mechanism as described above can be provided for theair belt used as a power source of the lowering means for the buckle orthe lap anchor of the seat belt apparatus.

For example, in the air belt 320 comprising a mesh webbing 324 and theinflatable tube 322 described above, a shock-absorbing mechanism asdescribed above may be provided for the inflatable tube 322, though notshown in the figure.

In the air belt 320 comprising such a shock-absorbing mechanism, whenthe air belt is inflated and the length of the air belt 320 is reducedthereby pulling down the buckle 18 or the lap anchor 20 via the powertransmission mechanism with the shrinking force of the air belt 320 as apower source to apply a pretension to the seat webbing, and then thepassenger bumped against the seat belt webbing with a very largeimpactive force, the impactive force abruptly pulls up the buckle 18 orthe lap anchor 20 and the force of the buckle 18 or the lap anchor 20 inthe pulling-up direction is transmitted to the air belt 320 via thepower transmission mechanism to pull the mesh webbing 324 of the airbelt having shrunk along its length due to inflation of the air belt inthe expanding direction so that the circumference thereof is narrowedand the inflatable tube 322 covered by the webbing 324 is pressed toincrease the internal pressure abruptly.

In this case, when the internal pressure of the air belt reaches orexceeds the prescribed value, the shock-absorbing mechanism describedabove provided on the inflatable tube 322 is actuated and the internalpressure of the air belt 320 is lowered or is prevented from excessivelyincreasing so as to allow the longitudinal elongation with a adequateinternal pressure maintained. As a result, the buckle 18 or the lapanchor 20 connected to the air belt 320 via the power transmissionmechanism can be moved in the pulling-up direction by the impactiveforce applied by the passenger while receiving an adequate drag, so thatthe impactive force can be absorbed.

The structure of the air belt having a shock-absorbing mechanism may beapplied not only to the case where the air bag is used as a power sourcefor the lowering means for the buckle or the lap anchor of the seat beltapparatus, but also to the case where the air bag shown in otherembodiment is used as a power source for other mechanism.

When the air belt is used as a power source for the pulling down meansfor said buckle or the lap anchor, the shock-absorbing mechanism may beprovided also for the power transmission mechanism that connects the airbelt and the buckle or the lap anchor and transmits the shrinking forceof the air belt to pull down these buckle or the lap anchor.

Referring now to FIG. 48 to 61, the passenger protecting mechanismhaving a power transmission mechanism including such a shock-absorbingmechanism will be described.

FIG. 48 is a view of the first structure of the power transmissionmechanism including a shock-absorbing mechanism according to theembodiment partly in cross section.

The power transmission mechanism 700 shown in FIG. 48 is constructed insuch a manner that the air belt (not shown) and the buckle or the lapanchor (both not shown) of the seat belt apparatus are connected via awire 702, and the shrinking force of said air belt in the direction ofthe length generated when inflated is transmitted via the wire 702 tosaid buckle or the lap anchor so that the buckle or the lap anchor ispulled down. The mid section of the wire 702 is inserted into thetubular guide column 704 deformable by the load not less than aprescribed value and guided from said air belt along the side of theseat (not shown) to said buckle or the lap anchor by the guide column704.

On the mid section of the guide column 704, there is formed a curvedportion 706 curved downward (downward in FIG. 48) into a generallyU-shape. The wire 702 inserted into the guide column 704 is curved alonghe curved portion 706, and thus the distance between both ends of thewire 702 extending from the guide column 704 of the wire 702. The guidecolumn 704 is constructed in such a manner that when the wire 702inserted into the guide column is applied with a tensile strength notless than a prescribed value, the upper portion P of the innerperipheral surface at the curbed portion 706 is pressed upward (upwarddirection in FIG. 48) by the wire 702, and deforms as if the path at thecurved portion 706 is shortened as shown in dot dash line in FIG. 48.Along with deformation of the guide column 704 in this way, the wire 702is pulled out from the guide column 704 by the length corresponding tothe shortened length of the path of the guide column 704 while receivinga drag in association with this deformation, so as to allow the distancebetween both ends to be increased.

In the power transmission mechanism 700, the curved portion 706 of theguide column 704 functions as a shock-absorbing mechanism. In otherword, when the air belt is inflated and decreased in length, therebypulling down the buckle or the lap anchor via the power transmissionmechanism 700 to apply a pretension to the seat belt webbing, and thenthe passenger bumped against said seat belt webbing with a largeimpactive force, the impactive force abruptly pulls the bent hole or thelap anchor connected to the power transmission mechanism upward (in thepulling-up direction) to apply a tensile strength not less than aprescribe value to the wire 702, which deforms the curved portion 706 ofthe guide column 704 as described above. As a consequent, said buckle orthe lap anchor is allowed to move in the pulling-up direction by thewire that can afford to be pulled out by the length corresponding to thelength that the path of the guide column 704 is shortened, so that theimpactive force applied by the passenger is absorbed.

In this embodiment, the structure of the guide column being formed witha curved portion is not limited thereto. For example, as a powertransmission mechanism 700A shown in FIG. 49, a guide column 704A ingenerally recessed shape having a pair of curved portions 706A, 706B andextending along the lower side of the seat (not shown) at the midsection thereof may be used.

In the guide column 704A, the curved portions 706A, 706B provided onboth side thereof deforms so as to shorten the length as shown by dotdash line in FIG. 49 when a tensile strength not less than a prescribedvalue is applied to the wire 702 inserted therein as in the case of thecurved portion 706 of the guide column 704 described above.

In the power transmission mechanism 700A provided with a guide column704A in this arrangement, these curved portions 706A, 706B function asshock-absorbing mechanism respectively to protect the passenger.

FIG. 50 is a front view showing another structure of the powertransmission mechanism provided with a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to this invention.

The power transmission mechanism 710 shown in FIG. 50 is constructed insuch a manner that the air belt (not shown) and the buckle or the lapanchor (both not shown) is connected via a wire 712 as in the case ofthe power transmission mechanism 700, the shrinking force of the airbelt in the direction of the length generated when inflated istransmitted to said buckle or the lap anchor by the wire 712 so that thebuckle or the lap anchor is pulled down. The mid section of the wire 712is engaged with the pulley 714 and 716 so as to be guided from said airbelt to said buckle or the lap anchor along the side surface of the seat(not shown).

The pulleys 714, 716 are rotatably supported in a prescribed directionrespectively by the axes of rotations 714 a, 716 a, respectively. On theside frame 420 provided along the side of the base plate 42 (not shown),there is formed guide holes 718, 720 in the form of a pair of elongatedopenings both inclined respectively from the ends closer with respect toeach other downwardly the other ends, with which the axes of rotation714 a, 716 a are engaged respectively. The axes of rotation 714 a, 716 acan move along these guide holes 718, 720 in parallel to itself withoutbeing detached from the guide holes 718, 720 with which they areengaging respectively.

The guide holes 718, 720 are provided with a deformable member 722, 724that functions in such a manner that when the pressing force from eachaxis of rotation 714 a, 716 a is not more than a prescribed value, theseaxes of rotation 714 a, 716 a are engaged with the diagonally lower endof the guide holes 718, 720 respectively, and when pressed by these axesof rotation 714 a, 716 a toward the upper ends of the guide holes 718,720 by a pressing force not less than a prescribed value, it is deformedby this pressing force so as to be backed off toward the upper ends ofthe guide holes 718, 720 (in the direction shown by the arrows U₁, U₂ inFIG. 50) to allow these axes of rotation 714 a, 716 a to move to thediagonally upper ends of the guide holes 718, 720 (to move in thedirections shown by the arrows U₁, and U₂).

One end of the wire 712 is connected to said air belt and routed underand engaged with the pulleys 714, 716 supported by the axes of rotation714 a, 716 a, thereby being guided from said air belt to said buckle orthe lap anchor, and the other end thereof is connected to said buckle orthe lap anchor.

In the passenger protecting apparatus in which the air belt and thebuckle or the lap anchor is connected by the power transmissionmechanism 710, when said air belt is inflated and decreased in length,thereby pulling down the buckle or the lap anchor via the wire guided bythe pulleys 714, 716 to apply a pretension to the seat belt webbing, andthen the passenger bumped against said seat belt webbing with a largeimpactive force, the impactive force abruptly pulls up (in thepulling-up direction) the buckle or the lap anchor and thus the wire 712connected to said buckle or the lap anchor strongly pulls up each pulley714 and 716 in the directions shown by the arrow U₁, and U₂. When thepulling-up force applied by the wire 712 to the pulleys 714, 716 reachesor exceeds a prescribed value, in other words, when the axes of rotation714 a, 716 a support the pulleys 714, 716 respectively, and engaged atthe diagonally lower end of the guide holes 718, 720 respectively by thedeformable members 722, 724 press these deformable members 722, 724 inthe directions shown by the arrows U₁, U₂ with a pressing force not lessthan a prescribed value, these deformable members 722, 724 is deformedby a pressing force from the axes of rotation 714 a, 716 a so as to bebacked off toward the diagonally upper end of the guide holes 718, 720,so that each axis of rotation 714 a, 716 a can be moved along the guideholes 718, 720 in the directions shown by the arrows U₁, U_(2.)

Since the pulleys 714 and 716 supported by these axes of rotation 714 a,716 a move upward in the directions of the arrows U₁, U₂ respectivelytoward each other while receiving a drag from each deformable member inassociation with the deformation, the path of the wire 712 guided bythese pulleys 714, 716 is shortened and thus the wire 712 allows saidbuckle or the lap anchor to move in the pulling-up direction by thelength corresponding to the length of the path shortened. As aconsequent, the buckle or the lap anchor is allowed to move gradually inthe pulling-up direction while receiving a drag in association withdeformation of said deformable members 722, 724, thereby absorbing theimpactive force applied by the passenger and thus protecting thepassenger.

In this embodiment, the structure of said deformable members 722, 724 isnot limited, but any deformable member that deforms accompanied by aprescribed drag when a pressing force not less than a prescribed valuefrom the axes of rotation 714 a, 726 a supporting the pulleys 714, 716,and allows said axes of rotation 714 a, 716 a can move diagonally fromthe lower end toward the upper end of the corresponding guide holes 718,720 may be employed.

For example, FIG. 51 shows a structure in which a corrugate pipe 726 isused as a deformable member. In FIG. 51, (a) is an enlarged view of theguide hole 718 before deformation of the corrugate pipe 726, and (b) isan enlarged view of the guide hole 718 after deformation of thecorrugate pipe 726.

In FIG. 51, the corrugate pipe 726 is placed within the guide hole 718,one end of which abuts the surface of the diagonally upper end of theguide hole 718, and the other end of which abuts the bearing member 728disposed along the guide hole 718 so as to be able to move in parallelto itself to engage the axis of rotation 714 a of the pulley 714 to thediagonally lower end of the guide hole 718.

When the axis of rotation 714 a presses the corrugate pipe 726 in thedirections shown by the arrows U₁, U₂ at a force not less than aprescribed value, as shown in FIG. 51(b), the corrugate pipe 726 iscontracted toward the diagonally upper end of the guide hole 718diagonally so that the axis of rotation 714 a moves gradually along theguide hole 718 in the direction shown by the arrow U₁, while receiving adrag from the corrugate pipe 726 accompanied by deformation thereof.

FIG. 52 shows a structure in which a band-shaped metal 730 is used as adeformable member instead of the corrugate pipe 726. In FIG. 52, (a) isan enlarged view of the guide hole 718 before the band-shaped metal 730is deformed, and (b) is an enlarged view 15 of the guide hole 718 afterthe band-shaped metal 730 is deformed.

The band-shaped metal 730 is disposed in the guide hole 718 and squarein cross section with one end open. The rear end of the band shapedmetal abuts against the diagonally upper end surface of the guide hole718 and the tip abuts against the bearing member 728 so that the axis orrotation 714 a is engaged with the diagonally lower end of the guidehole 718 as in the case of the corrugate pipe 726 described above.

When the axis of rotation 714 a pressed the band-shaped metal 730 with apressing force not less than a prescribed value in the direction shownby the arrow U₁, as shown in FIG. 52(b), the band-shaped metal 730deforms diagonally upward along the guide hole 718 so as to be crashed,and the axis of rotation 714 a is allowed to move gradually in thedirection shown by the arrow U₁ along the guide hole 718 while receivinga drag from the band-shaped metal 730 accompanied by deformationthereof.

FIG. 53 shows a structure using a metal lath as a deformable member. InFIG. 53, (a) is an enlarged view of the guide hole 718 before the metallath 732 is deformed, and (b) is an enlarged view of the guide hole 718after the metal lath 732 is deformed.

The metal lath 732 is formed in a cylindrical shape and the rear endthereof abuts against the diagonally upper end surface of the guide hole718, and the tip thereof abuts against the bearing member 728 so thatthe axis of rotation 714 a is engaged at the diagonally lower end of theguide hole 718 as in the cases of the corrugate pipe 726 and thebelt-shaped metal 730 described above.

When the axis of rotation 714 a presses the metal lath 732 in thedirection of the arrow U₁, as shown in FIG. 53b, the metal lath 732deforms so as to be contracted in the axial direction, and the axis ofrotation 714 a is allowed to move gradually in the direction shown bythe arrow U₁ along the guide hole 718 while receiving a drag from themetal lath 732 accompanied by deformation thereof.

In the embodiments described above, though the deformable members to beplaced in the guide hole 718 and limits the movement of the axis ofrotation 714 a in the guide hole 718 in the direction shown by the arrowU₁ are shown as examples, it is also possible to apply the samestructures to the deformable members to be placed in the guide hole 718on the opposite side from this guide hole 718 as a matter of course.

FIG. 54 is a front view showing the fourth structural example of thepower transmission mechanism having a shock-absorbing mechanismaccording to an embodiment of the invention.

The power transmission mechanism 740 shown in FIG. 54 has a structure inwhich the air belt (not shown) and the buckle or the lap anchor (bothnot shown) are connected via the rotatable body 742.

The rotatable body 742 comprises one of the pulleys 742A on which oneend of a first wire 744, of which the other end is connected to said airbelt, is wound, the other pulley 742B on which one end of the secondwire 746, of which the other end is connected to the lower portion ofsaid buckle or the lap anchor, is windably connected, and a shaft 742Cfor coaxially connecting this pair of pulleys 742A, 742B so as to rotateintegrally, wherein when said air belt is inflated and decreased inlength upon collision of the vehicle, the end of the first wire 744connected to the air belt is pulled by the air belt and the pulley 742Arotates so that the other end of the first wire 744 is unwound from saidpulley 742A by the length corresponding to the shrinkage of the airbelt, and the other pulley 742B that rotates integrally with the pulley742A via the shaft 742C winds the second wire 746 to pull down saidbuckle or the lap anchor to apply a pretension to the seat belt webbing.

In this power transmission mechanism 740, a shaft 742C for connectingthe pair of pulleys 742A and 742B of the rotatable body 742 comprises atorsion bar that is resiliently twisted by being applied with atorsional moment not less than a prescribed value around the axisthereof to allow generation of the phase difference between the pulleys742A and 742B by rotating relatively in the reverse directions.

In the passenger protecting apparatus comprising a power transmissionmechanism 740 in this arrangement, when the passenger bumped against theseat belt webbing in the state of being applied with a pretension asdescribed above with a very large impactive force, said buckle or thelap anchor pulled down in order to apply a pretension to said seat beltwebbing is abruptly pulled upward (pulling-up direction), and a strongtorsional moment is applied to the roller 742B wound the other end ofthe second wire 746 connected to said buckle or the lap anchor in thedirection to unwind the wire 746 from the roller 742B.

In this case, the roller 742A on the opposite side of the roller 742B isbeing applied via the first wire 744 with a strong torsional moment inthe direction opposite from the direction to unwind the wire 746 aroundthe axis of the shaft 742C, and thus a very large torsional moment isgenerated on the shaft 742C connecting these pulleys 742A, 742B.

When the torsional moment is reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, asdescribed above, the shaft 742C is resiliently twisted so as to allowthe rotation of the roller 742B in the direction to unwind said wire746.

As a result, in the passenger protecting apparatus in which the air beltand buckle or the lap anchor is connected by the power transmissionmechanism 740, said buckle or the lap anchor is allowed to movegradually in the pulling-up direction while receiving a drag due to aresilient force of the shaft 742C, so that the impactive force appliedby the passenger is absorbed.

FIG. 55 is a perspective view showing the fifth structural example ofthe power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbing mechanismof an embodiment of the invention.

The power transmission mechanism 750 shown in FIG. 55 has a structure inwhich the air belt (not shown) and the buckle or the lap anchor (bothnot shown) are connected by a webbing 752 formed of a band-shaped cloth,for example, a cloth material that is the same as the material used as aseat belt webbing.

At the mid section of the webbing 752, a seamed portion 752 a formed byjoining a part thereof to another part thereof by seaming in order toreduce the length of the webbing 752.

For forming the seamed portion 752 a, a thread that is to be broken by atensile strength not less than a prescribed value to release the seamthereof is used.

In the passenger protecting apparatus having such a power transmissionmechanism 750, the seamed portion 752 a of the webbing 752 functions asa shock-absorbing mechanism. In other words, when said air belt isinflated and decreased in length, thereby pulling down the buckle or thelap anchor via the webbing to apply a pretension to the seat beltwebbing, and then the passenger bumped against said seat belt webbingwith a large impactive force, the impactive force abruptly pulls saidbuckle or the lap anchor upward (in the pulling-up direction) to apply atensile strength not less than a prescribed value to the webbing 752,which breaks the thread of the seamed portion 752 a and release the seamof the seamed portion 752 a, thereby increasing the length of thewebbing 752 and allowing said buckle or the lap anchor to move in thepulling-up direction. As a consequent, said buckle or the lap anchormoves in the pulling-up direction while receiving a drag accompanied bybreakage of the thread at the seamed portion 752 a so that the impactiveforce applied by the passenger is absorbed.

FIG. 56 is an explanatory drawing showing the sixth structural exampleof the power transmission mechanism comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 56, (a)is a cross sectional view of the connecting member 766 connecting afirst and a second wires 762, 764 described later, (b) is a crosssectional view of the deformable member 772 provided on the connectingmember 766 when deformed, and (c) is a cross sectional view taken alongthe line C—C in FIG. (a).

The power transmission mechanism 760 shown in FIG. 56 comprises a firstwire 762 one end of which is connected to the air belt (not shown), asecond wire 764 one end of which is connected to the buckle or the lapanchor (both not shown), and a connecting member 766 for connecting saidwires 762 and 764.

In this power transmission mechanism 760, one end of the first wire 762is connected to said air belt, and the other end thereof is insertedinto the generally cylindrical connecting member 766 through a insertionhole 768 formed at one end thereof. The second wire 764 is connected tosaid buckle or the lap anchor at one end, and is inserted through theinsertion hole into the connecting member 766 at the other end.

The generally cylindrical connecting member 766 is formed with flanges766 a, 766 b enclosing the insertion holes 768 and 770 respectively inthe inner periphery on both ends. The connecting member 766 is alsoprovided with a deformable member 772 having the same structure as thedeformable member 722, 724 of the power transmission mechanism 710 shownin FIGS. 50-53 described above and deformable by a pressing force notless than a prescribed value so as not to be detached from theconnecting member 766 by said flanges 766 a and 766 b.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 56, a corrugate pipe is provided asa deformable member 772, one end of which abuts against said flange 766a so as to enclose the insertion hole 768 and the other end of whichabuts against the clamp 774. The deformable member 772 is constructed insuch a manner that when the other end of the deformable member ispressed by the clamp 774 toward said one end thereof with a pressingforce not less than a prescribed value, it is longitudinally contractedas if it is compressed between said flange 766 a and said clamp 774.

The other end of the first wire 762 inserted into the connecting memberfrom the insertion hole 768 is passed through the deformable member 772and secured to the clamp 774 being abutted against the other side of thedeformable member 772. On the other hand, the end of the second wire 764inserted from the insertion hole 770 opposed to the insertion hole 768is secured to the clamp 776 being abutted against said flange 766 b fromthe inside of the connecting member 766.

In the power transmission mechanism 760 in this arrangement, theconnecting member 766 functions as a shock-absorbing mechanism. In otherwords, when said air belt is inflated and decreased in length, therebypulling down the buckle of the lap anchor via the wires 762, 764connected by the connecting member 766 to apply a pretension to the seatbelt webbing, not shown, and then the passenger bumped against said seatbelt webbing with a large impactive force, the buckle or the lap anchoris abruptly pulled upward (in the pulling25 up direction) and the firstwire 762 connected to said air belt and the second wire 764 connected tosaid buckle or the lap anchor are strongly pulled away from each other.When the pulling force reaches a prescribed value, the clamp 774 onwhich the end of the first wire 762 is secured pressurizes thedeformable member 772 to contract the deformable member 722 in the axialdirection in the connecting member 766 connecting these wires 762, 764.Therefore, said buckle or the lap anchor moves gradually upward (in thepulling-up direction) while receiving a drag from the deformable memberaccompanied by deformation of the deformable member 772, so that theimpactive force applied by the passenger is absorbed.

In this embodiment, the connecting member is not limited thereto. Forexample, in the power transmission mechanism 760A shown in FIG. 57, theconnecting member 766A comprises a deformable member 782 formed of acylindrical corrugate pipe, and a pair of compressively holding members784A, 784B of a plate shape abutting against both ends of the deformablemember. FIG. 57 is an explanatory drawing showing a sixth structuralexample of the shock-absorbing mechanism according to the embodiment ofthe invention. In the same figure, (a) is a cross sectional view of theconnecting member 766A before said deformable member 782 is deformed,(b) is a cross sectional view of the connecting member 766A after saiddeformable member 782 is deformed, and (c) is a cross sectional viewtaken along the line C—C in FIG. (a).

In this connecting member 766A, the compressively holding member 784A isprovided with a pair of insertion holes 786, 788 through which a firstwire 762A connected to the air belt at one end and a second wire 764Aconnected to the vent hole or the lap anchor at one end are insertedrespectively. The compressively holding member 784B is symmetric withthe compressively holding member 784A with the deformable member 782interposed therebetween, and is formed with a pair of inserting holes790, 792 through which said first and second wire 762A, 764A areinserted respectively. The deformable member 782 is disposed so thatboth ends enclose the insertion holes 786, 788, 790, 792 on thecompressively holding member 784A, 784B so as to communicate with eachother via the deformable member 782.

The first wire 762A of which one end is connected to said air belt isinserted at the other end through the insertion hole 786 on thecompressively holding member 784A abutting against one end of thedeformable member 782, introduced within the deformable member 782, andthen inserted through the insertion hole 790 on the compressivelyholding member 784B abutting against the other end of the deformablemember 782 so that the first wire 762A is drawn out from the deformablemember, and then attaching a clamp 794 on the end of the wire 762Aprojecting from the insertion hole 790, thereby being engaged with thecompressively holding member 784B. On the other hand, the second wire764A of which one end is connected to said buckle or the lap anchor isinserted at the other end from the inserting hole 792 on thecompressively holding member 784B abutted against said the other end ofthe deformable member into the deformable member 782, inserted into theinsertion bole 790 on the compressively holding member 784A opposed tothe compressively holding member 784B and drawn out from the deformablemember 782, and then attaching a clamp 796 on the end of the wire,thereby being engaged with the compressively holding member 784A.

When the first and the second wires 762A, 764A engaged with theconnecting member 766A and connected by said connecting member arepulled away from each other, the wires 762A, 764A attract thecorresponding compressively holding members 784B, 784A are attractedwith respect to each other, so that the deformable member 782 arepressed so as to be contracted longitudinally from both sides. When atensile strength for pulling the wire 762A, 764A reaches a prescribedvalue, the deformable member 782 deforms and is contractedlongitudinally, and the distance between both ends of a series of wires762A, 764A increases by the length corresponding to the length ofcontraction.

In the power transmission mechanism 760A having a connecting member 766Ain this arrangement, the same effect as in the case of the powertransmission mechanism 760 described above, and thus the impactive forceapplied by the passenger may be absorbed in case of emergency.

In the embodiments described above, the deformable member 722, 782placed in the connecting member 766, 766A respectively may be anydeformable member as far as it deforms accompanied by a prescribed dragwhen a pressing force not less than a prescribed value is applied fromthe clamp 774 or the compressively holding member. For example, as adeformable member 772 in the power transmission mechanism 760 shown inFIG. 56 described above, it is also possible to use a band-shaped metal778 of generally square with one side open in cross section as shown inFIG. 58, having a structure as the belt shaped metal 730 shown in FIG.52 and deforming as shown in FIG. 58(b) by a pressing force from theclamp 774, or as shown in FIG. 58, a metal lath 780 as shown in FIG. 58having the same structure as the metal lath 732 shown in FIG. 53,deforming as shown in FIG. 58(b) by a pressing force from the clamp 774.In FIG. 52 and FIG. 53, (a) is a cross sectional view of the connectingmember 766 of the power transmission mechanism 760, and (b) is a crosssectional view of each deformable member placed in the connecting member766 when deformed.

FIG. 60 is a drawing of the eighth structural embodiment of the powertransmission mechanism partly in cross-section having a shock-absorbingmechanism according to an embodiment of the invention.

The power transmission mechanism 800 shown in FIG. 60 shows an anotherembodiment of the power transmission mechanism shown in FIG. 56described above in which the second wire for connecting the buckle orthe lap anchor and the connecting member 766 is omitted, and theconnecting member 766 is disposed below the buckle body or the lapanchor body.

In this embodiment, the power transmission mechanism 800 connects theair belt (not shown) and the buckle 18 by the wire 802, so that ashrinking force of the air bag is transmitted via the wire 802 to thebuckle 18 to pulling down the buckle 18 so that a pretension is appliedto the seat webbing, not shown.

The buckle body 18 of the buckle 18 is provided with a generallycylindrical hollow connecting portion 804 extending from the lowerportion thereof One end of the wire 802 is connected to said air belt,and the other end is inserted into the connecting portion 804 from theinserting hole 806 formed on the end of the connecting portion 804.

In the connecting portion 804, there is provided a deformable member 808formed of a corrugate pipe, a belt-shaped metal, or metal lath or thelike having the same structure as the deformable member used in thepower transmission mechanism 760 described above or the like. In thisembodiment, a cylindrical corrugate pipe is used as a deformable member808, and one end of the deformable member 808 abuts against theperipheral edge of the insertion hole 806 so as to enclose the insertionhole 806, and the other end is provided with a clamp 810 abuttedthereto. The other end of the wire 802 inserted into the connectingportion 804 from the insertion hole 806 is passed through thecylindrical deformable member 808, then secured to the clamp 810 abuttedagainst the other end of the deformable member 808.

In the passenger protecting apparatus having the power transmissionmechanism 800, when the buckle 18 is strongly pulled upward (in thedirection shown by the arrow U₃), a tensile strength is applied to thewire 802 connected to the buckle 18, and this tensile strength allowsthe clamp 810 to which the other end of the wire 802 is secured to pressthe deformable member 808 to contract longitudinally, and when thetensile strength reaches or exceeds a prescribed value, the deformablemember is deformed and contracted, so that the buckle 18 can be movedupward (in the direction shown by the arrow U₃) by the lengthcorresponding to the length of contraction of the deformable member 808.Therefore, as in the case of the power transmission mechanism describedabove, the impact force applied by the passenger can be absorbed in caseof emergency.

As a matter of course, in this embodiment, the connecting portion towhich the wire 802 is connected may be disposed in said lap anchor body(not shown).

FIG. 61 is a perspective view of the ninth structural example of thepower transmission mechanism partly in cross section having ashock-absorbing mechanism according to the embodiment of the invention.In FIG. 61, identical numerals and signs designates identicalcomponents.

The power transmission mechanism 820 shown in FIG. 61 comprises a wire822 for transmitting a shrinking force of the air belt to pull down thebuckle body 18B, one end of the wire 822 is connected to the air belt824, and the other end is guided by the guide 826 and connected to ashock-absorbing mechanism 828 installed at the side of the base plate 42of the seat 10.

The buckle body 18B is provided with a hooking portion 830 to which thewire 822 is hooked. By hooking the mid section of the wire 822 on thehooking portion 830 in generally U-shape, the buckle body is engagedwith the wire.

The shock-absorbing mechanism 828 has, as in the case of the connectingmember 766 of the power transmission mechanism 760 described above, acylindrical hollow structure, and comprising a deformable member 832formed of a corrugate pipe, a band2 shaped metal, a metal lath or thelike is mounted. The other end of the wire 822 is inserted through theinsertion hole 834 provided on the end of the shock-absorbing mechanism828 into the shock-absorbing mechanism 828. On of the ends of thedeformable member 832 abuts against the peripheral edge of the insertionhole 834, and at the other end, a clamp 836 is abutted. The wire 822inserted from the insertion hole 834 into the shock-absorbing mechanism828 is passed through the deformable member 832, and then secured to theclamp 836 abutted against the other end of the deformable member 832.

In the passenger protecting apparatus having a power transmissionmechanism 820, when the buckle body 18B is strongly pulled upward (inthe direction shown by an arrow U), the mid section of the wire 822 ispulled together with the buckle body 18B so that a tensile strength isapplied to the wire 822, and the clamp 836 to which the other end of thewire 822 is secured presses the deformable member 832 by the tensilestrength so as to contract the deformable member 832 longitudinally. Inorder to construct the passenger protecting mechanism in such a mannerthat when the tensile strength applied to the wire 822 reaches orexceeds a prescribed value, the deformable member 832 deforms and iscontracted, so that the buckle body 18B can move upward (in thedirection shown by the arrow U) while receiving a drag accompanied bydeformation of the deformable member 830, as in the case of the powertransmission mechanism described above, the impactive force applied bythe passenger can be absorbed in case of emergency.

In this embodiment, though the wire 822 is constructed in such a mannerthat the buckle body 18B can engage, it is also possible to construct insuch a manner that the lap anchor body is engaged instead of the bucklebody.

As described thus far, according to the passenger protecting apparatusof the present invention, a submarine phenomenon of the passenger can beprevented by the use of an air belt, or the passenger can be protectedby applying a pretension to the webbing. It is also possible to preventthe passenger sitting in the rear seat from jumping toward the front.

The priority documents Japanese Patent Application Nos. H11-375178(filed Dec. 28, 1999) and 2000-202511 (filed Jul. 4, 2000) are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

We claim:
 1. A passenger protecting apparatus comprising: a seatincluding a seat cushion and a seat back, and an air belt adapted todecrease in length when inflated for hardening the front portion of saidseat cushion in case of emergency; wherein said air belt is disposedunder the seat cushion.
 2. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim1, wherein said air belt is prevented from moving downward and forwardwhen inflated.
 3. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 2, whereina back-up member for preventing said air belt from moving downward isprovided under said air belt.
 4. The passenger protecting apparatus ofclaim 3, wherein said back-up member includes a projection projectingupward for positioning the air belt.
 5. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 4, wherein said projection deforms when a pressingforce not less than a prescribed value is applied from the air belt tosaid projection, thereby allowing for the frontward movement of said airbelt.
 6. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein thelength of said air belt extends along the width of the seat cushion, andboth ends of said air belt are connected to a structural member of saidseat cushion.
 7. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1, whereinan air belt for protecting a passenger sitting on a rear seat of avehicle is routed between the left and right B pillars of the vehicle.8. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 7, further comprising aseat belt apparatus for protecting the passenger sitting on the seat,wherein said air belt is provided to tow a shoulder anchor of said seatbelt apparatus.
 9. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a deformable metal plate enclosing said air belt,wherein said metal plate encloses said air belt when said air belt isnot inflated and extends with inflation of said air belt, andplastically contracts and deforms when applied with an externalpressure.
 10. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein agas exhaust port of an inflator is inserted into the air belt from oneend thereof.
 11. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 10, whereina flange member is provided on a rear end of the inflator projectingaway from the air belt, said flange member being fixed to a side frameof the seat.
 12. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 10, whereinsaid inflator includes a tip portion with a gas guide member forchanging the direction of a gas injected from said inflator into thedirection longitudinally of said air belt.
 13. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 1, wherein said air belt is folded into a narrowstrip and stored in a mesh webbing.
 14. A passenger protecting apparatuscomprising: a seat including a seat cushion and a seat back, an air beltthat decreases in length when inflated for hardening the front portionof said seat cushion in case of emergency; and a seat belt apparatusincluding a buckle and a lap anchor for restraining a passenger sittingon the seat, and a lowering mechanism for lowering at least one of thebuckle and the lap anchor of said seat belt apparatus, wherein said airbelt is disposed in the seat as a driving power source of said loweringmechanism so as to be reduced in length when inflated.
 15. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said air belt extendsdiagonally in the fore-and-aft direction of the seat cushion.
 16. Thepassenger protecting apparatus of claim 15, wherein one end of the airbelt is located in the front portion of one of the sides of the seatcushion, and the other end of the air belt is located at the rearportion of the other side of the seat cushion.
 17. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 15, wherein the air belt comprises a firstand a second air belt, one end of the respective first and second airbelts is located at the front portion of the seat cushion at the centralportion of the width between the left and the right, the other end ofthe first air belt is located at the rear portion on the left side ofthe seat cushion, and the other end of the second air belt is located atthe rear portion on the right side of the sea cushion.
 18. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the end of the air belt and atleast one of said buckle and the lap anchor are connected via a linkage.19. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the end ofthe air belt and at least one of said buckle and the lap anchor areconnected via a rack-and-pinion mechanism.
 20. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 14, wherein the end of the air belt and at least oneof said buckle and the lap anchor are connected via a linear body. 21.The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising afirst linear body, a second linear body, and a rotatable body, andwherein one end of the first linear body is connected to the end of theair belt, and one end of the second linear body is connected to saidbuckle or the lap anchor, wherein the other end of said first linearbody can be wound on the rotatable body and the other end of said secondlinear body can be wound on said rotatable body.
 22. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a shock-absorbingmechanism which allows upward movement of one of the buckle or the lapanchor while applying a drag to one of said buckle or said lap anchorwhen an upward force not less than a prescribed value is applied to theone of said buckle or said lap anchor lowered by said loweringmechanism.
 23. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 22, whereinsaid shock-absorbing mechanism is a tear seam formed by seaming a partof the air belt wherein a thread is to be broken when the internalpressure reaches or exceeds a prescribed value.
 24. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 22, wherein said shock-absorbing mechanismcomprises a gas outlet provided on the air belt, and a tear seam formedby seaming a part of said air belt so as to close said gas outlet, andwhen the internal pressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds aprescribed pressure, said tear seam is broken so that the air belt isallowed to increase in volume, said gas outlet is opened to discharge agas through said gas outlet.
 25. The passenger protecting apparatus ofclaim 22, wherein said shock absorbing mechanism limits deployment ofthe air belt when the internal pressure is not more than a prescribedvalue, and permits unlimited deployment of the air belt when theinternal value of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value toallow the air belt to increase in volume.
 26. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 22, wherein the shock-absorbing mechanism is a gasoutlet for discharging a gas from the air belt.
 27. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 26, wherein said gas outlet is providedwith valve means for opening when a gas pressure reaches or exceeds aprescribed value.
 28. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 14,further comprising a power transmission mechanism for transmitting apower from said air belt to one of said buckle and said lap anchor, thepower transmission mechanism including a shock absorbing mechanism thatallows the one of said buckle and said lap anchor to move upward whileapplying a drag force to the one of said buckle and said lap anchor whena raising force not less than a prescribed value is applied to the oneof said buckle and said lap anchor.
 29. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 28, wherein said power transmission mechanismcomprises a wire for transmitting a power and a guiding member for saidwire, and an impactive force is absorbed by deformation or retraction ofsaid guide member.
 30. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 28,wherein said power transmission mechanism comprises a torsion bar as anaxis of rotation for transmitting a power, and an impactive force isabsorbed by twisting motion of said torsion bar.
 31. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 28, wherein said power transmissionmechanism comprises a webbing for transmitting a power, said webbingincludes a seamed portion formed by seaming a part of the webbing with athread so as to be reduced in length and is constructed to absorb theimpactive force by breakage of said thread.
 32. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 28, wherein said power transmission mechanismcomprises a first linear body connected to said air belt, a secondlinear body connected to said buckle or the lap anchor, and a connectingmember connecting said first linear body and the second linear body, andis constructed to absorb the impactive force by deformation of saidconnecting member.
 33. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 28,wherein said power transmission mechanism comprises a linear bodyprovided between said buckle or the lap anchor and said air belt, and aconnecting member provided at one end of said linear body so as toconnect said linear body to said buckle or the lap anchor or said airbelt, and is constructed to absorb the impactive force by deformation ofsaid connecting member.
 34. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim28, wherein said power transmission mechanism comprises a wire fortransmitting a power, one end of said wire is connected to saidshock-absorbing mechanism, the mid section of said wire is engaged withsaid buckle or the lap anchor or the air belt.
 35. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 14, wherein said seat belt apparatus isprovided with a one-way clutch.
 36. The passenger protecting apparatusof claim 14, wherein said seat belt apparatus is provided with a shockabsorbing means that stretches so as to maintain the upper limit of atensile strength constant.
 37. A passenger protecting apparatuscomprising: a seat including a seat cushion and a seat back, an air beltadapted to decrease in length when inflated for hardening the frontportion of said seat cushion in case of emergency; and wherein said airbelt is disposed under the seat cushion and is provided with ashock-absorbing mechanism.
 38. The passenger protecting apparatus ofclaim 37, wherein said shock-absorbing mechanism is a gas outlet fordischarging a gas from the air belt.
 39. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 38, wherein said gas outlet is provided with valvemeans for opening when said gas pressure reaches or exceeds a prescribedvalue.
 40. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 37, wherein saidshock-absorbing mechanism is a tear seam formed by seaming a part of theair belt so that the thread is to be broken when the internal pressureof the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value.
 41. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 37, wherein said shock-absorbing mechanismcomprises a gas outlet provided on the air belt, and a tear seam formedby a part of said air belt for closing said gas outlet, and constructedin such a manner that when the internal pressure of the air belt reachesor exceeds a prescribed value, the tear seam is broken to allow said airbelt to increase in volume and to open said gas outlet so as todischarge a gas from said gas outlet.
 42. The passenger protectingapparatus of claim 37, wherein said shock-absorbing mechanism is amechanism to limit deployment of the air belt when the internal pressureof the air belt is not more than a prescribed value, and to release thelimitation to allow the air belt to increase in volume when the internalpressure of the air belt reaches or exceeds a prescribed value.
 43. Apassenger protecting apparatus comprising: a seat including a seatcushion and a seat back, an air belt disposed under the seat cushion andadapted to decrease in length when inflated for hardening the frontportion of said seat cushion in case of emergency; and wherein aninflator is secured on a side frame of the seat, and a tubular gas ductis provided so as to introduce a gas from said inflator to one end ofsaid air belt.
 44. The passenger protecting apparatus of claim 43,wherein a flange member is provided on said gas duct, said flange memberbeing secured on the side frame of the seat.
 45. The passengerprotecting apparatus of claim 43, wherein the other end of said air beltis mounted to another side frame of the seat.